


The Captain's Civilian Siren

by 0betsuni



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Humiliation, Levi-centric (Shingeki no Kyojin), Not a single mention of orbs, Oral Sex, Possessive Levi Ackerman, Romance, Semi-Public Sex, Smut, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:27:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28905612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0betsuni/pseuds/0betsuni
Summary: Without any living relatives to support her, Elysia applies for an ominous position at the Survey Corps. She needs to work while finishing her medical studies, but becoming the civilian assistant to Captain Levi Ackerman isn’t at all what she envisioned. Their disparate worlds collide and combine as the dynamic shifts between the many roles they come to occupy in each other's lives.
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Character(s), Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

Elysia pulled a freshly pressed dress over her head and down her body until the bodice clung to her waist and fabric flowed from her hips. She took an audible breath, mentally preparing for the day ahead while getting herself ready. The impending job interview hadn't initially intimidated her - she was overqualified for the position, if anything - but actually putting on the dress she'd only worn for special occasions made her heart race a bit. She glanced at herself in the mirror for a moment before deciding not to fuss. _They probably won't even notice what I'm wearing_ , she thought to herself. With one last deep breath, she swung open the door to the street and set out for the Survey Corps Headquarters.

As she walked through familiar streets towards her completely unfamiliar destination, she reflected on what she did know about the controversial military branch. Elysia has seen them ride through her town a handful of times. But the only solider she could recognize was Levi Ackerman, in part because he had managed to stay alive so long and partly because his presence was striking, even from afar. His expressions were somehow always extremely blank, yet brimming with intensity.

When she told her friends that she was thinking of working as a Scout Captain's Assistant, they were dumbfounded. One argued, "Why would you want to work with the Scouts? Even if you don't go into battle, those people are insane! Every last one of them has a death wish." Elysia shook her head. She couldn't really refute the fatality rate, but unlike many, she didn't see their expeditions as worthless. As an aspiring doctor, something deep within her ached to help her people survive. On some level, she understood the dedication of the Scouts. But on another level, she was as mystified as the next person.

Another friend pressed on, "More to the point, why work at all? You know you're beautiful enough to marry a rich man from the Interior and never lift a finger again." Elysia laughed and replied, "I'd sooner choose to be fed to the titans."

Against her friends' wishes and perhaps her own better judgement, she had nearly made it to the headquarters. The walk had softened the tension she felt earlier and nervousness gave way to curiosity. As she knocked on the door, it occurred to her how little she knew about this job, other than the title of the position and an ominously vague description. Moments later, the door opened revealing a woman with copper hair pulled back into a ponytail, well-worn glasses, and an excited grin. Elysia immediately returned her smile, though she couldn't muster the same level of enthusiasm as the woman before her. "You must be here for the interview! I'm Hanji, and that's Moblit." She gestured to the man standing behind her nervously, as if he were expecting to have to catch her at any moment.

"It's very nice to meet you, I'm Elysia." Hanji ushered her inside and the three began walking through the halls of the headquarters. Elysia scarcely noticed her surroundings. She was preoccupied by a wave of relief, having finally met her interviewers. They both seemed strong, albeit in different ways, but approachable and pure-hearted. "We'll discuss the job in here," Hanji explained, as she opened the door to a more private room.

Just as quickly as Elysia's anxiety had quelled, it came rushing back full-force; her eyes fell to the man sitting expectantly before them, the unmistakable Levi Ackerman. "Took you long enough," he complained, sipping his tea. "What are you doing here, Levi! You're going to scare her off." Hanji's affect rapidly shifted to frustration. "The last assistant you found for me lasted barely a week, Hanji. I decided that if you can't screen people for complete incompetence then I'll do it myself." Elysia realized she must have looked like she'd seen a ghost and tried to soften the shock on her face. "You're a real pain, Levi, do you know that?" Hanji glared menacingly at him. Realizing that Levi had no intention of leaving, she sighed, "Well if you're going to interview her yourself then Moblit and I will attend to other business." Hanji gave Elysia a sympathetic smile and wished her luck before heading right back out the door with Moblit in tow.  
Elysia stood frozen in the entryway.

"Never sat in a chair before? I promise it doesn't hurt." Levi said with cutting sarcasm. Elysia managed to compose herself enough to take a seat across from Levi. She had not prepared herself to be alone with humanity's strongest soldier, let alone be interviewed by him. From this distance, she was finally able to see for herself why girls lusted after him: he was incredibly handsome. She quickly averted her gaze and forced an introduction from her lips. "My name is Elysia. I'm very grateful for the opportunity, Sir."

"I'd have asked if I wanted to know your name," He replied sternly, narrowing his eyes. "All I want to know is whether you can handle being my assistant. When I hire civilians, they can't keep up. And when I hire Scouts, they get eaten by titans before they can learn to make me a proper cup of tea." He looked incredibly annoyed. "For everything else I could be doing right now, let's hope this is worth my time." Levi's eyes remained fixed on Elysia, his words dug into her chest. "I-I understand." Elysia felt the last dregs of her confidence escape with each breath.

"It's your lucky day, the job isn't being able to speak to me without fucking stuttering. You won't convince me verbally anyway, I'll have to see you in action. Follow me." He stood swiftly and turned to the door. Elysia unseated herself far less gracefully, as if it really had been her first time sitting in a chair, and hurried to keep up with him. Now walking quickly behind him, she noticed that he was only a few inches taller than her, but he carried himself with immense power. "Here. My office." He stopped so abruptly she almost walked directly into him. When he turned to face her, she was standing uncomfortably close, which he ignored. "Organize my desk."

Elysia wavered for a moment, expecting any amount of elaboration, which, of course, did not follow. With a quick nod to Levi, she approached the desk and took stock of the situation. Stacks of papers were haphazardly scattered, accompanied by various office supplies. She quickly got to work, scanning documents for similarities and grouping them neatly. Although she could feel the searing judgement of Levi's watch, she was relieved to have something else to focus on. While her passion was medicine, she found organizing and cleaning to be cathartic and meditative. Soon after she began, she righted herself and reported to Levi, "It's finished, Sir."

He strode over, while she braced herself for the rejection she believed to be imminent. His expression was completely unreadable as he inspected her work. What felt like an eternity passed before he spoke, "I'll show you to your quarters." Elysia's eyebrows drew together in confusion. He read her face and offered slightly more information. "I'll show you where you'll be living during the week. Come with me." She heard his words, but couldn't process what they meant. _Did I get the job? Where I'll be living during the week?_

Levi guided her out of his office and stopped in front of the door directly to the right of his. "Here." He opened the door, revealing a modestly furnished bedroom, the afternoon light streaming in through the window. She entered the room, while Levi stood in the entryway, evidently not wanting to step foot in his new assistant's bedroom. "Come back tomorrow with whatever else you need. Report to my office on Monday morning. Don't make me regret this."  
Elysia softly replied, "I won't let you down, Sir" and Levi retreated to his office.

The walk home was a blur. Elysia had arrived at the headquarters with a few questions and left with dozens more. She suddenly felt apprehensive. Maybe her friends had been right. She briefly considered never returning to the headquarters and trying to forget the whole ordeal. But in order to support herself through her medical studies, she really did need a job. At least she'd probably be safe from titans, living among the Scouts.


	2. Chapter 2

Following a restless night's sleep and disorienting dreams, Elysia opened her eyes. The reality of her decision to live and work at the Scout Headquarters was beginning to set in, brought into focus by the clarity of a new day. _I'm going to be... Levi's assistant... and live next door to him.._ She repeated these facts to herself as if they might start making sense at any moment.

After eventually getting out of bed, she finally started to wonder why he had even given her the job at all. He showed no indication that her work had been satisfactory. She tried to shove down her self-doubt and began packing up her most essential belongings. After gathering everything, she frowned at the daunting stack of books before her. There was no way she could carry all of this. She prayed that one of the shopkeepers on the street would let her borrow a cart and stepped outside.

Elysia was able to sweet-talk her way into securing a cart from a slightly drunk shopkeeper and set off on the moderately long walk to her new residence. She felt a different type of anticipation than she had on this walk the day before. She was less worried now that she had the job, but she felt tense thinking about seeing Levi again. Her hands gripped the cart tighter as she replayed her last encounter with him, trying to make sense of his opaque behavior.

Finally, she pushed the cart up to the headquarters's entrance and stepped inside with more than an armful of books. She carefully made her way toward her bedroom door, but before she could slip inside, Levi emerged from his office. He assessed the situation and frowned. Elysia felt her heart sink at the coldness of his greeting, but before she could say anything, he was already closing the distance between them. He lifted the books out of her arms with ease and quietly chastised her, "Tch, how bold of you to bring more books than you can carry before we find out if you're truly cut out for this." She apologized sweetly, hoping to mask her embarrassment. The last thing she wanted was to disappoint the captain before her first day. Despite his abrasive tone, she was surprised when he followed her back to the cart to help her carry the rest of her belongings. She found it slightly amusing to see the man she was purportedly working for, looking for all the world as though he were working for her.

While Elysia finished arranging the last of her books, Levi paused to take her in. When they met yesterday, he couldn't help but notice how uniquely beautiful she was. Her dark brown hair cascaded in soft waves approaching her hourglass waistline, and contrasted strikingly against her ivory skin. Although she had barely held eye contact, he caught a few glimpses of her deep blue eyes. He had intended to reject her from the job initially because he feared she would distract the adolescent Cadets, but she had organized his desk better than even he could. He had no choice but to hire her. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help, Sir." The gentleness of Elysia's remark caught Levi off-guard and he instinctively stiffened with a sharp breath in. "You can make it up to me later. Now, it's dinnertime. I'll show you to the dining hall."

_You can make it up to me later._

Elysia replayed those words, sensing depth beneath their surface, and felt a soft shiver travel up her neck. Levi was walking slower this time, allowing her to keep pace beside him. Something about walking beside such a powerful man made her feel important, even though she was his subordinate. She tried to covertly sneak glances at his attractive features, which did not go unnoticed by the veteran soldier. He was accustomed to being admired. Men were starstruck by his heroic conquests and women were mesmerized by his dangerously handsome face.

The pair eventually reached the dining hall, which was bustling with Cadets, barely containing their chaos, and the much better behaved Captains. Elysia saw the food station and told Levi she would get plates for both of them. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't stop her, and found his way to the table where Hanji, Moblit, and Erwin were seated. They were discussing a modified training regime so he sat without interrupting them. A few minutes later, Moblit chimed in to ask, "How did the interview go, Levi?"

"Well..." he started to reply, as Elysia returned with their food. "For you, Sir," she said, placing his plate on the table then setting her own place beside him. "You survived!" Hanji shouted excitedly, causing Elysia to giggle. "My first day is tomorrow so please hold your applause until then," she replied coyly. Erwin warmly introduced himself to the new Captain's Assistant and gave Levi a knowing smile. They had known each other long enough for Levi to interpret the meaning behind it: _you didn't tell me she was this beautiful_. The rest of dinner was lighthearted and Elysia started to feel more at ease, as long as she avoided thinking about how close her body was to Levi's.

After dinner, she thanked the group for their company and hospitality and returned to her room alone. In Elysia's absence, Levi was suddenly bombarded with questions about his new hire. Everyone wanted to know more about her, but Levi had no information besides her first name. "This is why I should've interviewed her!" Hanji complained, "How did you even manage to conduct an interview without asking a single question?" Erwin chuckled and Levi shrugged with complete indifference.

Elysia slept much better that night, feeling surprisingly at home in her new room. Perhaps she hadn't made a grievous mistake by agreeing to this, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Elysia woke early, her bubbling excitement drawing her out of a restful sleep. After a few deep breaths to ground herself, she climbed out of bed and wrapped her exposed body in a robe to get to the shower across the hall. She had learned that Captains and the Commander had private bathrooms, but as an Assistant she would use the shared bathrooms, along with the Cadets. It was early enough that she knew she'd have the bathroom to herself. To her great delight, the shower was exactly as strong and hot as she liked it. She hummed happily as the water rushed over her. After lingering longer than she needed, she finally forced herself to get out. She felt the remaining tension from the past few days roll off of her dewy body.

Completely forgetting her surroundings, she left the bathroom with her robe loosely tied around her waist and her damp hair resting against her breasts. "I see you've made yourself quite at home." Elysia's zen mood evaporated, realizing she was now standing soaking wet and obscenely dressed in front of her Captain. "I.. I'm sorry for the indecency, Sir," she stammered, her pale cheeks flushing rosier than usual from the heat of the shower. He extended a pile of neatly folded clothes to her, "Unless you intend to perform your duties naked, here is your uniform." She alternately thanked him and apologized profusely until she made it across the hall to her room. When she shut the door, she felt tears welling in her eyes. _How could I have been so careless?_

Her mistake was a serious offense. Levi weighed several possible repercussions, but told himself that her humiliation was probably punishment enough. Truthfully, he didn't have the heart to punish her for something that had caused him no harm besides some sexual frustration. Fortunately, the Captain's ironclad willpower allowed him to cast aside his fantasies and get to work.

After composing herself through similarly impressive self-discipline, Elysia slipped on rosy silk undergarments and put on her new uniform. It was much simpler than the Scout uniforms, consisting of a structured grey skirt, and delicate white blouse. She tucked the blouse into the skirt, which ran from her waist to the middle of her thigh. Elysia admired the charming uniform in the mirror, impressed by how well it suited her. She bent over a bit to check the skirt's modesty from different positions - determined not to flash her Captain after the shower incident. She would have to be more careful while wearing this, but she was grateful for the freedom of movement it permitted.

Figuring she was as ready as she'd ever be, she re-emerged and walked a dozen steps over to Levi's office. It would take time for her to wrap her head around their proximity. A note was hung on his office door, addressed to her:

_Elysia,_

_Please sort the paperwork on my desk and attend to any documents you can handle. When you're finished, acquaint yourself with the grounds and layout of the building for future tasks._

_Levi_

It was an immense relief that she wouldn't have to face him so shortly after their last encounter, and an even greater relief that she now had some tasks to occupy her wandering mind. Her fingers gently brushed against the fresh ink of her name in his handwriting.

Elysia carried out her Captain's orders faithfully, even drawing a map as she explored the headquarters. Along the way, she crossed paths with Moblit and had the presence of mind to ask him about Levi's schedule. He gave her his best estimates based on Hanji's schedule and she thanked him.

In anticipation of Levi's return, Elysia prepared fresh tea for him and drafted a written summary of updates from the paperwork. Exactly as Moblit predicted, Levi arrived back at his office to find Elysia setting down the tea. He looked thoroughly exhausted, though still unmistakably attractive. Elysia wondered what else she could have done to lighten his tiring day.

"Mm," Levi hummed with as much gratitude as he was willing to express when he saw her preparations. Elysia smiled and allowed her eyes to meet his for longer than usual, truly appreciating the subtle praise. He broke her gaze only to scan her body, admiring the way the uniform looked on her. "I'm glad it fits. I had to estimate your size based on the dress you wore for your interview." Her breath hitched at the idea that he had been paying such close attention to her. She didn't know how to reply so she quickly changed the subject and showed him the map she drew.

A low chuckle escaped Levi's lips, amused by her attempt at cartography. Elysia was delighted to have made the stoic man laugh, even if it was at her expense. "You didn't draw my bedroom," Levi told her, before picking up a pen and gesturing to the door off of his office. Elysia hadn't noticed it yet. After a few strokes of the pen, Elysia realized that his bedroom and hers shared a wall. She instantly blushed, but was glad to learn this before she'd done anything... private that he might have heard. "Thank you for the correction, Captain," she replied without fully masking her heightened state.

Levi was pleased with himself for having hired her. She had done everything he asked and more and he enjoyed watching such an attractive woman become flustered by him. "Come back tomorrow morning," he commanded her in an inviting and lightly suggestive tone.

Elysia pressed her lips together reflexively at his request, air catching in her throat. She was relieved to have made it through her first day, but still struggled immensely to maintain her composure in front of the man beside her. "Thank you, Sir. Good night."

After a late dinner alone, she stayed up studying one of her medical anatomy books. Looking down at a page with an exposed male body, her sleep-softened mind wandered to thoughts of Levi. She closed her eyes and conjured her best imagination of how he'd look beneath his uniform. Before she could envision anything dirtier, sleep overcame her.


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of her first week went similarly smoothly to her first day. She was exceptionally well-suited to the work, continually managing to exceed her Captain's expectations. But she kept finding herself flustered when they spoke, especially when they were alone. As a rare beauty, she was accustomed to men groveling and stammering before _her_ , not the other way around. She had never felt so disarmed by someone as she did with Levi. He expertly masked his emotions and intentions, but beneath the veneer, Levi was entranced by her too. He often ignored people or returned their conversation with silence and a cold stare. But with Elysia, he regularly found himself silenced by a breathtaking remark from her gorgeous lips, or with his train of thought derailed by a particularly enticing expression on her face. He had so far managed to completely conceal her effect on him, but he could tell it was requiring more effort with each day.

Though they weren't able to admit it, neither of them really wanted her to leave this weekend. Elysia didn't particularly want to return home, but she also didn't want to overstep her bounds by requesting to stay. Levi had already grown accustomed to his helpful assistant, but didn't want to pressure her to stay or give any indication of his fondness for her.

Hoping to lighten the mood on the evening before her departure, she carefully placed a record onto the gramophone Levi had in his office and the crackling sounds of piano filled the room. Levi wouldn't be back for quite some time so she hoped it would be okay for her to listen to music for a little while as she worked. She continued tidying the office as usual until she dropped a pen on the floor and knelt to retrieve it. The floors were swept spotlessly, but the wood felt a bit rough on her bare knees. Determined to fix the issue, Elysia stood and gathered wood polishing materials from the closet where the rest of her supplies were.

Pleased that she found another way to help her Captain, Elysia got to work on her knees, pouring polish onto the floor and rubbing it in thoroughly. She hummed along to the music and swayed her hips softly to the melody as she worked.

Completely unknown to her, Levi was returning early for the first time all week. He wanted to see her again before their weekend apart so he hurried through his day and made it to his office. The muffled music was carried out to where he stood outside the door. The unexpected sound put him on edge; his training as a soldier taught him to be suspicious of anything unusual. Cautiously and almost silently, he opened the door, bracing himself for an ambush.

His mouth fell open when he scanned the room and found the irresistible woman on all fours, polishing his floors. The skirt of her uniform had ridden up enough to reveal most of her pussy, covered now only by small silk panties. He closed the door behind him as quietly as he had opened it, realizing she hadn't heard him enter, and continued to stare at Elysia. She continued swaying her hips to the music seductively while Levi tried to permanently sear the sight of her into his mind. Her ass was even more perfect than he imagined, rendering him completely speechless.

Levi lost count of the seconds he was standing there. His right hand reflexively gripped his incredibly hard cock through the pants of his uniform. It was taking immense discipline to restrain himself from the unspeakable things he wanted to do to her. Before his resolve could weaken further, Elysia stood up, revealing even more of herself in the process. She dusted off her knees and started to return her supplies to the closet with her back still turned to him.

Before she could turn back around, Levi opened and shut the office door loudly, finally making his presence known. "Welcome back, Captain! Right on time, as usual," Elysia said with a beaming smile. Unable to fully conceal his emotions, Levi's expression betrayed him, momentarily flashing a mix of desperate lust and shock. She assumed something had happened at work and ignored it, not wanting to bother him. "I see you've polished the floors... Thank you, Elysia," Levi finally replied, after steadying himself enough to speak.

She gasped almost inaudibly; hearing her name from his lips made her heart race. Levi noticed her response, trying not to let it turn him on even more, and kicked himself for slipping up and calling her by her first name. He was so focused on reigning in his desire, he had said it without thinking. "When are you leaving?" he asked, trying to quickly change the subject. "Tomorrow morning, Sir." "Very well. I'll see you on Monday when you return." She wished him a good night and retreated to her bedroom, completely oblivious to the events that had just transpired.

Now alone, Levi felt a rush of guilt for hiding the fact that he had seen her so exposed. He feared that if she found out, she would be too embarrassed to return the following week. He had deeply enjoyed seeing her like that and was now even more intent on keeping her around. He sighed, attempting to shake off some of the tension that had been building since Elysia arrived. He knew there was only one way he could release his frustration and made his way through his bedroom to his adjacent bathroom. Levi skillfully undressed and got in the shower to wash away the evidence of his combat-filled day. After drying off, he climbed onto his bed and sat leaned against the wall, his dark middle-parted hair still dripping slowly down his face.

Elysia was forbidden to him. He decided the day he hired her that he could never let himself get involved with her. Relationships between Scouts and civilians were exceedingly rare because of the job's high mortality rate. He needed to keep his distance, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. He closed his eyes and thought about how incredible she had looked on her hands and knees. He'd have given anything to freeze time in that moment and get closer, reach out and touch her panties, to feel the warmth of her pussy through the fabric. Levi was as hard as he had been staring at her before, but now nothing could stop him from stroking his cock and thinking about the beautiful girl next door. He imagined her now undressing for the night, pulling down her tight skirt and letting it fall to the floor. His grip tightened at the image. Envisioning her unbuttoned blouse opening to reveal the soft curves of her breasts drove him wild. He began to imagine the ways he would touch her, the sounds that would escape from her lips; his pace quickened and his breathing became more audible. He let out several low moans, completely focused on his desire, and continued touching himself. "Elysia.." he groaned a bit louder as he felt himself ready to cum. Finally, he came hard imagining his cock deep within her. Levi felt reprieve from the sexual tension he'd been carrying, but he knew he had crossed a line that would be difficult to return from. Before he could dwell on that any further, he cleaned himself up and fell into a deep sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elysia entered her bedroom after seeing Levi for the last time until Monday. It had been a long week, but she smiled to herself, feeling a sense of accomplishment. She slipped off her uniform gracefully and surveilled her naked body in the mirror. As a teenager, her friends had teased her about her well-developed curves, but now at 25, they perfectly complemented her slender build and wide hips. Built-up tiredness from the week suddenly began to weigh on Elysia and she climbed into bed. Her eyes were closed and her thoughts started turning into dreams when she heard a muffled noise behind the wall of her room. Her eyes reopened slightly and she heard it again.

She touched the wall her bed was tucked against and thought back to her map. Her eyes widened as she realized that beyond the wall was Levi's bedroom. Worried that he might be in trouble, Elysia sat up and pressed her ear to the wall. _"Mmm.. yes ..fuck"_ Levi's unmistakable voice vibrated against her ear. She immediately recognized the thickly sexual tone and feared she had just eavesdropped on her Captain with another woman. Her heart sunk at the thought, jealousy welling up within her. But just before she pulled her ear away, she heard him passionately moan her name. _"Elysia.."_

She froze, trying to make sense of what she just heard. After several moments of racing thoughts, she realized that he was _alone_ and he was thinking about _her_. Her eyes fluttered back in pleasure and a soft moan formed in her throat. Earlier she had been welling with desire when he said her name at all. But to hear it moaned sent her over the edge. She laid back on her bed and her fingers found the warmth between her legs. She softly traced up and down along her pussy until the wetness of her entrance was glistening on her clit. Her breathing hitched as she touched herself and thought of Levi. His voice reverberated in her mind, _You can make it up to me later._ He had no idea how much she wanted to touch him when the two of them were alone, how badly she yearned to please him. Her middle finger slipped inside her and she oscillated her hips against it, stifling her moans by covering her mouth with her free hand. Overwhelmed by desire, Elysia quickly reached orgasm, biting her lip to suppress her sounds as she came. Waves of shakiness crashed over her body and hormones flooded her mind. Completely satisfied, she whispered "Levi..." out loud for the first time before succumbing to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

After pulling on a white linen dress and eating a light breakfast, Elysia set out on the walk back into town with the now empty cart. She hadn't seen Levi that morning, which was a slight relief since she wasn't quite ready to face him. It was a beautiful day and she was grateful for the crisp breeze and beaming sun. She spent the walk mentally reviewing some medical procedures she'd learned recently. After some time, she reached the shopkeeper and returned the cart with a courteous smile. Since she was already out, she decided to run some errands and pick up some food for the weekend. The rest of the evening was uneventful. She missed the company and energy of the Scouts; someone was always shouting, fighting, laughing, or crying with their full heart at the headquarters. They had unparalleled passion in everything they did and it was contagious.

On Sunday morning, Elysia woke early and went to visit Dr. Jaeger. His work saving lives during the plague had in large part inspired her to pursue medicine. After first meeting him several years ago, Dr. Jaeger told her she had great potential and should absolutely work towards it. Truthfully, he said he wasn't aware of any women who had become publicly practicing doctors, but that there were no rules forbidding it. Since then, she visited him periodically to ask questions and seek guidance. He was happy to advise the bright young woman and she would help him organize his medical equipment and elixirs in exchange. She entered his office, instantly warming the room with her angelic affect. He looked more worn than usual, but greeted her with a sincere smile. "How is my apprentice faring out in the world these days?" he asked. "I have a new job, actually! I'm an assistant to a Captain in the Survey Corps," Elysia replied. "Well, I hope they're giving you enough time for your studies." They continued to catch up. She asked him the questions she had compiled since they last met and dutifully wrote down his answers. Elysia thanked him for all he had done for her and left with renewed confidence in herself.

It was still only mid-afternoon when Elysia started thinking of returning to headquarters. She hadn't been away long, but she was increasingly drawn to her new home. _I should walk back now so I arrive before dark, to be safe_ she told herself, knowing full well that was the least of her concerns. She started walking back, letting the cool afternoon air wash over her. Her nipples became firm beneath her dress in response to the brisk breeze. A shiver ran down her back and images of Levi came flooding back. She was still unsure about facing him after she heard him moan her name intimately. He didn't know that she'd heard him and she wasn't sure she'd be able to hide it; her poker face was transparent compared to his.

She arrived at the headquarters and planned to hide out in her room for a while, when she noticed the urgent, bleak atmosphere around her. She stood still, waiting for some indication of its origin. A few moments later, she heard some commotion from the wing of the building where the infirmary was. As quickly as she could carry herself without sprinting, she hurried over to the sounds of distress. She entered the room, without express permission, to assess the situation for herself. The distinct smell of blood filled the room. Her eyes darted around, looking for an opportunity to help. The usual nurses were attending to a handful of seriously injured cadets. She calmly asked one of them for a briefing of the situation. The nurse concisely informed her that a cluster of abnormals had appeared unexpectedly during training and all of the Scouts present were severely wounded. Elysia thanked the nurse and continued scanning the room until she saw the last person she hoped to find here: Levi.

Without hesitation, she rushed over to his side. He had lost a lot of blood and spoke to her weakly, "Treat my cadets... first..." Elysia held his hand and replied softly, "The nurses are treating the cadets. Levi, I'm going to attend to you." Levi barely recognized her in his state, simply perceiving an angel before him. He looked at her with an expression that appeared to fully entrust his life to her care. She took a deep breath to clear her mind and examined him as she would any patient. He had sustained several external injuries, the worst of which was a gash on his head. She would need to check for internal injuries as well.

After quickly triaging his status, she washed her hands and asked one of the nurses for morphine and sutures. The nurse complied without bothering to ask for her credentials; she knew the situation called for more than they could provide. Elysia thanked her and explained to Levi what she was doing. "I'm going to give you some morphine for the pain, then stitch you up." He hazily lifted his vascular arm towards Elysia and she injected the morphine. His face softened as its effects circulated. Once she was sure he wouldn't feel anything, she cleaned the gash on his head with equal parts precision and tenderness. Levi's eyes were heavy, but he noticed Elysia's chest close to his face as she leaned over to tend to him. The warmth of her presence felt like another dose of morphine. He tried to lean into her, wanting to rest his face against her heart, but she steadied his head, her petite hand firmly cradling his jaw.

His eyes fluttered closed and she continued to work. Levi's consciousness was tenuous, but he thought that as long as he died in her arms, he would be content. He took a deep breath, catching her sweet scent in the back of his lungs. He faded into a darkness that he couldn't identify as sleep or death.

After stitching his most pressing injuries, Elysia evaluated his vitals. His breathing and heart rate were stable, almost serene. She turned her attention to his internal state. It was a relief that Levi's eyes were softly shut, as she proceeded to gently press on different areas of his torso. He didn't flinch as she moved in a systematic pattern down his chest. There didn't appear to be any serious damage to his organs, which was quite a relief considering how unprepared she would have been to perform emergency surgery. However, based on his slurred speech, his failure to recognize her, and the laceration to his head, he was almost certainly concussed. Elysia used a warm cloth to wipe dried blood and dirt from Levi's persistently handsome face.

She suddenly thought about what might have happened if she had returned later on or not at all and tried to push the possibility directly back out of her mind. Her drive to heal others extended to strangers and even some enemies, but it felt different to care for Levi. He was receptive to her touch in an inexplicable way, as though trusting her with his life completely. Elysia fell asleep on a chair in the infirmary, unwilling to leave his side, after the nurses had left for the night.


	6. Chapter 6

Levi was pulled out of his drug-laced sleep by a pounding headache and the sounds of cadets groaning in pain. His eyebrows drew together in confusion and discomfort. _Why am I here?_ he asked himself, struggling to recount anything that would explain the slow-burning pain returning to his body. The last thing he remembered clearly was training with his cadets a dozen kilometers away from base. Not usually one to appreciate his natural surroundings, he was struck by the perfect weather. He was observing a practice fight between a few Scouts and suddenly his consciousness and memory went black. _I must have been knocked unconscious immediately._ He frowned, realizing that this sequence of events explained the high number of serious injuries - he hadn't been able to protect them. He wondered who must have carried his practically lifeless body back to headquarters. _One perk of being short is that it's easier for them to save your sorry ass._ A soft smile formed on his face and quickly dissipated as his head throbbed.

His smoky grey eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of the infirmary and he looked around the room. To his right, all of the beds were full of injured soldiers. He vaguely recalled arguing with the nurses about treating them first. On his left was a far more pleasant sight, Elysia. She was still sleeping, curled in a somewhat tortured position on a chair beside him. He looked like he'd been dragged through hell by the ankles and she looked windswept as if she'd fallen a long way down from heaven. Her deep brown locks were disheveled loosely down her back. Levi thought he might prefer this look on her, imagining it to be similar to how she'd look the morning after a long night together...

Her rich blue eyes fluttered opened, immediately locking with Levi's gaze. Elysia wasn't sure if she was dreaming so she stayed still, holding eye contact with him without a word and taking shallow breaths. After what was either two minutes or an eternity, the rest of her brain evidently turned on and she sat up abruptly with a sharp inhalation. She hastily adjusted her clothes, which had shifted overnight.

Levi also snapped out his trance and realized that he had no idea why Elysia was in the infirmary, not that he minded the sight of her. "How are you feeling, Captain?" Elysia asked, concern evident in her eyes. "I... My head hurts, but I'll live." Levi replied truthfully. "You sustained a moderate concussion and several deep lacerations. I sutured them carefully, you should have minimal scarring." Levi's eyebrows raised at her report. Completely ignoring the information about his status, he didn't understand why Elysia was speaking to him like a doctor. _Am I hallucinating?_

Elysia read his confusion and put the pieces together. She had never actually told him about her career plans, of course he would need more details. "I'm studying to become a doctor. I can handle common, non-surgical medical care and stepped in when I saw that the nurses were completely outnumbered." Levi's face softened at the explanation, relieved not to be imagining things. He couldn't quite process the depth of this new information, but the answer satisfied him for now. He wanted to continue looking at her and listening to her soothing voice, but he felt himself falling back asleep. Elysia stood and bent over him, pressing her ear to his chest. His vitals still sounded stable, though she noticed his heart rate spike marginally when she palpated his abdomen again for tenderness. When a medical emergency presented, she could completely narrow her focus to the task at hand. But as it became clear that Levi just needed rest and light maintenance, her focus wavered. She lifted her head from his chest, although she could have stayed there forever, and rested her palm on his rib cage. Elysia became more and more aware that this man was not simply a patient of hers or just her boss. Her hand lifted and fell with the flow of his breath. She needed to protect him. She needed him to live.

A few days passed this way, the two of them together in the infirmary. She brought him meals and tended to his ever-improving injuries. But what he cherished most was her relentless company. Although he was feeling almost completely better, she insisted that he take it easy a while longer to limit damage from his concussion. For all of his issues with authority and taking orders from other people, he enjoyed their new dynamic. In the past, he had always ignored the nurses' pleas, but when Elysia asked him to stay longer with her mesmerizing voice, he was defenseless.

One night, he woke up after sensing a shift in the room. He looked around to identify it and saw Elysia's chair empty. He sat up, his shirtless body exposed to the cool night air, the sheets still covering his lower half. Just as he was about to go search for her, Elysia reappeared and came straight over to him. She was wearing a gossamer white nightgown, having abandoned the discomfort of sleeping in her uniform. She sat on the side of his bed and whispered to him, "What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" He slowly nodded, finally realizing that everything was okay. He had simply been unsettled by her temporary absence. She smiled and started to make her way to the chair. "Wait.." Levi started, suddenly averting his eyes as if performing some advanced calculus in his head before continuing. "Will you... lie beside me?"

The invitation nearly brought Elysia to her knees. Unable to properly form a sentence to reply, she answered by lifting the sheets and climbing into the bed beside him. The adjacent sides of their bodies were touching, an electric sensation between them. But Levi hadn't intended for this to be sexual, he just... needed to know she was there. Elysia might have become too overtaken by lust to just lie beside him like this, if she weren't completely exhausted from the last few nights in the chair. Both of them felt instantly safer lying together like this, and quickly fell back asleep.

Shortly after sunrise, Levi started to wake up; the golden morning sun illuminated against his still closed eyes. His right hand was unusually warm so he flexed it gently to investigate. His fingers felt an incredibly delicate fabric resting on soft skin. He opened his eyes to identify the dreamy sensation and saw Elysia's beautiful locks draped on the pillow beside him. He looked down and realized his hand was holding her hip. A rush of desire flooded Levi and he felt his normal morning hardness stiffen to an insatiable state. There was nothing he wanted more than to trace down her hip, to her thigh, then graze between her legs. His free hand lightly wrapped around his cock, his eyes pressing shut in pleasure.

A nurse entered the infirmary to check on another patient, raising her eyebrows at the two of them in bed, but not noticing the tension beneath the sheets. He knew he had to wait until they were alone, but he could no longer resist Elysia. He needed to know if she felt the same way.

Levi reluctantly pulled his hand from her hip, causing his fingers to sting with the memory of her. The subtle change of temperature where his hand had just been woke Elysia from her slumber. Levi convincingly pretended to be asleep. She quietly got up from the bed and leaned over the bedside table, facing away from him, appearing to write something. Levi opened his eyes just enough to see her inviting figure. Her dress was slightly sheer and he could make out the silhouette of her body beneath it. The fabric clung to her lower back and accommodated her full ass. Before he could finish admiring her, she quietly walked out the door.

When he was sure she was out of sight, he sat up to read the note she'd written.

_Captain Levi,_

_I believe you'll be well enough to leave the infirmary today. I'm going to prepare your quarters in anticipation of your return. I will wait for you there whenever you're ready._

_Elysia_


	7. Chapter 7

Levi read over Elysia's note a few more times, admiring her neat script and reveling in the image of her waiting for him. He briefly considered going to meet her straight away, but decided to give her time to work so he could have her full attention when he arrived. More importantly, he still looked like hell and wanted to clean himself up before seeing the woman he couldn't stop thinking about. He stretched his tense, muscular body a bit and headed to the infirmary shower. He took his time, letting the hot water replenish his strength. Some of his lacerations still stung under the stream. After stepping out of the shower, Levi assessed himself in the steamy mirror. His features were more rugged than usual, but there was a new softness in his eyes. Elysia had been right that there would be minimal scarring. She had done an incredibly skillful job, which Levi could judge confidently due to his countless injuries on the battlefield. He dried his charcoal hair with a towel and arranged it into it the usual split, framing his captivating face.

Before going to see Elysia, he decided to eat his first meal in the dining hall all week. It was past peak lunchtime so there weren't many people around. He plated some bread and stew and sat across from Erwin, who was eating alone. "You almost look alive, Levi." Erwin chuckled, genuinely glad that there had been no casualties that day. "Shut up, " Levi replied with enough snark to kill a small child. "I heard your Assistant saved you," Erwin smirked. Levi explained with a nod, "apparently it's not enough that she's the best Assistant I've ever had and could seduce any man here, she's also a doctor in training." Levi sighed, almost annoyed by her endless attributes. "Don't get destroyed by any more titans just so she'll treat you again," Erwin teased and continued more seriously, "Moblit carried you back assuming you were already dead." Levi had no intention of letting his guard down, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't relieved to know Elysia would be there if he did get hurt again. He nodded again at Erwin and the two moved on to discussing an upcoming mission.

It was mid-afternoon when Levi decided it was finally time to return to his office. Anticipation had been steadily building in his chest all day and he realized he was almost nervous to see her. Humans never made the man nervous and most titans didn't phase him either. But with Elysia, he was approaching unexplored territory. He had never been in a romantic relationship and all of his previous sexual experiences were with other Scouts, usually the night before a particularly suicidal expedition. All of the women he had been with had either gotten married and left the Scouts or been killed by titans. Given that track record, he was full of uncertainty about pursuing Elysia. But continuing to suppress his attraction was no longer an option, he needed to take action and he needed to do it today. 

Without formulating a plan, he steeled himself and stepped foot into his office. It was spotless, thanks to Elysia's meticulous preparation. He closed the door behind him and his gunmetal eyes found hers. She looked incredible. A short blue dress clung perfectly to her body and revealed most of her creamy ivory legs. The bodice cupped her breasts gently together, a breathtaking invitation of cleavage peeking out of the neckline. Elysia blushed when she noticed her Captain's eyes tracing her figure, savoring every curve. But she was too preoccupied taking him in herself to break their silence. It was astonishing how sexy he looked less than a week after nearly dying. She tried to quiet an erotic hum unsuccessfully, prompting Levi to quickly close the distance between them. The nervousness he had felt before melted away in her presence. He wasn't sure what to do, but it felt so right to be close to her.

Elysia swallowed and opened her mouth to speak. He gazed at her parted lips longingly, while she searched for her words. "Levi, I..." he hung on the sound of his name in her mouth. "I want you," she finally whispered. He forcefully stopped his eyes from rolling back in pleasure at her confession. He stepped in even closer, one of his feet now between hers and wrapped an arm around her waist. His hand pressed firmly against the small of her back and he leaned in so his lips were an inch from her ear. Elysia shivered at the sensations of his strong hand just above her ass and his warm exhalation against her ear. Levi felt her reaction to him and smiled, pleased to have so much power over her. He whispered, "I want you too, Elysia," instantly eliciting a breathy moan from her.

Before the mesmerizing sound finished leaving her lips, Levi pulled her into a delicate, yet passionate kiss. His free hand softly cradled the back of her head, her silky hair weaving between his fingers. She lightly brushed his bottom lip with her tongue while kissing him back, causing the vibrations of a low moan from him to reverberate against her. He pulled her hips closer to him and Elysia felt the outline of his hard cock press against her thigh. She gasped at the sensation and felt her pussy tense in response. Levi bit her lip softly before pulling his face back to look at her. He'd never seen a face so obviously begging to be fucked. Her eyebrows were crinkled, eyes brimming with desire, and her mouth positioned to moan at a moment's notice. It drove him wild to see how badly she wanted him.

Levi abruptly lifted her, skillfully wrapping her legs around his waist and set her back down against the back wall of his office. His right hand extended, pushing forcefully against the wall, beside her neck, both stabilizing him and preventing her from going anywhere. His left was caressing her jawline, pressing her cheeks together slightly before gliding his thumb against her bottom lip. More than anything, he wanted to be inside her, but he was hesitating. Levi knew he had to ask before his willpower degraded any further. "Elysia... have you been with a man before?"

The question pained him to ask. He loathed the idea of another man touching her. But he needed to know. If she was a virgin, he wasn't sure he could bring himself to take her virginity. Knowing full well that his lifestyle precluded him from marriage, it would be cruel to fuck her and risk her future prospects. His internal concerns were interrupted by her reply, "Never" she stated simply, still looking at him with unmatched sexual excitement. "Hmm," Levi hummed, completely conflicted by her answer. It made him even more intensely eager to take her, but he couldn't overlook the integrity of her future.

Elysia could see that he was quietly torn, though she didn't understand his dilemma. She reached up to the hand still caressing her face and meekly pulled it down to her chest, clutching his palm against her breast. Levi's right hand gripped into a fist, releasing his strength into the wall and he began exploring her breathtaking curves with his left. He flexed his fingers wide, feeling that her breast was a bit bigger than a handful. The weight of her chest in his hand was exhilarating. He brought a finger to the center of her breast, where he felt the small, tense outline of her nipple beneath the fabric. He ran his finger lightly across it a few times before leaning towards her and pressing his forehead to hers. Levi placed a sweet kiss to her lips, before speaking. "I can't take your virginity, Elysia," he started. Her eyes flashed with confusion and desperation. Before she could argue, he finished his thought. "But I won't leave you like this."

She tried to parse his words, needing to understand what he meant. To clarify his intentions, Levi simultaneously brought his left hand up from her breasts to cover her mouth and his right down to her panties, dragging his fingertip along from her entrance to her clit. She cried out loudly against his hand, overwhelmed by the unexpected touch. "I'm sorry I had to cover your mouth so forcefully, but I knew you would scream" Levi explained, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. Just then, a group of cadets passed in the hall, their voices carrying into the room. Elysia realized they absolutely would have heard her if his hand hadn't been there. She looked up at him and nodded in understanding. She collected herself as best as she could and braced herself to stay quiet.

"Good girl," he whispered, praising her obvious effort. Without warning, he pushed her panties to the ground and she stepped out of them obediently. He stopped to admire her for a moment. The waves of her hair resembling the ocean in a storm, nipples visible through her dress, panties cast aside leaving her pussy exposed to the electric air in the room. Levi expertly hooked one of his arms under her leg and lifted it to hip height. His other hand found her now bare pussy. His fingers immediately became wet as he traced the center line of her cunt. She bit her lip to modulate a loud moan into a soft hum. He moved his lips closer to her ear, placing a gentle kiss on her neck along the way. "You're so wet, Elysia," he said with a devious smirk, letting his middle finger slip inside her before giving her a chance to respond. Her breathing hitched into a rhythm that felt completely beyond her control. He curled his finger inside her and felt her pussy tense tightly around him. He continued this almost unbearably pleasurable motion. Every so often, he kissed her, letting her release louder moans against his lips. He pulled his now completely wet finger out of her and let it glide up to her clit. He slid his slick index and middle fingers on either side, applying gentle pressure to her clit between them. The leg he was still supporting with his arm began to tremble and Elysia looked as though she might collapse. He kept touching her in ways she had never considered, bringing her closer to orgasm. He sensed that she couldn't withstand much more of this and decided it was time to let her come.

"Are you ready?" he whispered threateningly, lifting her leg a bit higher to expose more of her sensitive cunt. The cool air against her wetness made her shiver. She couldn't speak, but she was able to muster a tiny nod. Levi quickly slid two fingers inside of her, and began to finger her more forcefully, her body pressed firmly against the wall. She covered her own mouth, preventing a scream from escaping at full volume. Elysia never wanted this to end, but she could no longer hold back her orgasm. Feeling her pussy tighten around his fingers, Levi immediately switched back to a curling motion and sent her over the edge. He slowed his movements, letting her pussy repeatedly tighten and release around him as she came harder than she ever had. When he felt her tension fully release, he gently slid his fingers out of her and lowered her leg. As soon as both of her feet were on the ground, her balance wavered. Levi caught her with incredible speed before she could process that she was falling and draped her arms around his neck for stability.

He clasped his own hands around her back and held her for a few minutes while her strength returned. "Can you stand?" he asked, after some time. "I think so," Elysia replied, still slightly out of breath, shifting her weight off of him and testing her steadiness. When it was clear that she could walk, Levi saw the exhaustion in her eyes. She had slept poorly all week while taking care of him. He frowned and reached to the ground to retrieve her discarded panties. He held them out for her to step into and she complied. He pulled them up to her hips slowly, taking a moment to admire her pussy at eye-level. He swallowed his burning desire and restrained himself from touching her again. "You should get some sleep," he suggested, as he got back to his feet.

Elysia brought her hand to his pants, wrapping her delicate fingers around his still incredibly hard cock. "Levi..." she said softly, beginning to rub him through his pants. He inhaled sharply and his body stiffened in response to her touch. Expending his last reserves of self-restraint, he removed her hand and smiled softly. "Don't worry about me," he reassured her, "you need to rest." Elysia looked disappointed, but could feel her tiredness rising to the surface. She kissed him softly and returned to her room to sleep.

As soon as she was gone, Levi made his way to the shower. He turned on the water and practically tore off his uniform. He stepped into the hot water and gripped his hard length. He slammed his hand against the tile and forcefully stroked himself, his soaking wet hair dripping onto his face. He groaned loudly, desperate to release the energy he just built up touching Elysia. He thought about how incredible her pussy had felt squeezing tightly around his fingers. "Fuck.." he growled, increasing his pace. He pictured her face, silently begging for more, and the erotic sounds she made as she came. His vision darkened at the edges as he came hard under the stream of hot water. He breathed quickly and heavily, finally released from the death grip of desire for the time being.

Levi finished washing up and got straight into bed. He had managed to stop himself from taking her this time, but he wasn't sure if he could resist her again. She was dangerous to him, threatening his otherwise immovable resolve. But he also posed a danger to her. If he couldn't commit to her, it didn't seem right to go any farther than they had. These conflicting thoughts swirled around his head until they were silenced by sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Elysia stayed in bed for a while after waking, thinking about what she had done with the Captain the night before. The memories brought flickers of lust back to her mind, interspersed with confusion. She had been in no state to ask questions, but she needed to know why Levi had refused to take her. If the issue was her role as his Assistant, she would need to consider whether to continue working for him and prevent things from progressing or find another job and pursue him further. She sighed audibly, exasperated by the situation. _Why does it have to be him?_ She thought, frustrated that she felt this way about such a dangerous and elusive man. Knowing him, he would avoid discussing this at all costs. But she needed to speak with him before leaving for the upcoming weekend.

She slipped out of her room into the empty hallway and took a shower. After putting on her uniform and brushing through her hair, she left to look for the Captain. Elysia knocked quietly on his door, to no response. Losing hope, she walked towards the dining hall in case he was still eating breakfast. When she was a few yards from the door, he appeared, evidently leaving as she was arriving. He managed to hide his surprise at seeing her unexpectedly. Luckily he was alone, having stayed longer than the other captains to finish his tea. She stopped in front of him, pausing for a moment before asking, "Can I... speak with you privately?" her cheeks grew warm with blush and she averted her gaze to her feet. He took a deep breath and considered her request. Levi wanted to see her, but he wasn't sure that he was ready to discuss what happened between them. His life had been one uninterrupted series of avoiding his emotions and he didn't particularly want to start facing them now. He tried to imagine what Hanji would suggest. _Just talk to her, you idiot!_ Finally, he nodded at Elysia, realizing he couldn't avoid her forever. "Come by my office after you eat," he instructed and turned to continue down the hall.

Elysia was relieved that he agreed to meet with her, but she was more nervous now that their meeting was imminent. Despite the fluttering in her stomach, she did her best to eat most of her breakfast. Feeling somehow even less prepared for their conversation, she made her way to his office and knocked again. He opened the door and gestured for her to come in, closing it behind her. She swallowed her anxiety and tried reminding herself that she had requested this meeting. He noticed how tense she looked, her fingers trembling ever so slightly. His heart stung to see how she looked almost afraid of him and what he might say. He wanted to soothe her, but couldn't find the right words and decided instead to reach out and hold her left hand gently between his palms. She was taken aback by the gesture, but didn't pull away. He kept his hands wrapped around hers without saying a word. Her trembling subsided and she found the strength to speak.

"Why did.. why did you say you couldn't take my.." she trailed off in a small voice, having said enough for Levi to understand her question. He smiled softly, indulged by how worked up she was over him. He chose his next words carefully. "Setting aside the boundaries I should be enforcing due to your employment here, I... can't threaten your future." Elysia still didn't grasp his meaning. He sighed and reluctantly elaborated, "This lifestyle... the Scouts... I can't bring you into this. It's not right for me to do anything to you that could jeopardize your prospects." It was painful for him to admit that he couldn't give her the future she deserved. Elysia was quiet. She looked like she might cry, but recognized how difficult this already was for him and held back her tears.

She squeezed his hand and met his gaze, "Thank you for telling me, Levi." His face flashed surprise at her show of gratitude. She continued, "I need to think about this... but please know that I don't give up easily." He smiled, fully believing her assertion. She abruptly reached forward and wrapped him in a loving embrace. He froze for a moment before deciding it would be okay to hold her and placed his arms around her gently. They stayed like this for some time then Elysia left without another word.

She dutifully finished her remaining work for the week and set out for another weekend away. Although she didn't want to leave, she needed to clear her head and seek counsel from her closest friend. Elysia returned to her other home the next day and spent the afternoon studying. Sometime after sunset, she went to a nearby tavern to meet with the only friend she felt would understand her situation, Klara. They had been close since childhood and Klara was the only of her friends who didn't think she was crazy for working with the Scouts.

"Elysia!" Klara called out from the corner of the bar when she noticed her friend's arrival. Elysia smiled as sweetly as ever and the two girls hugged before taking their seats. "Two lagers, when you have a moment," Elysia said kindly to the bartender. "Where have you been!" Klara asked, eager to catch up. Obliging her friend's curiosity, Elysia summarized the simple details of her life recently, intermittently sipping her beer. Without even disclosing the more... vivid details, Klara was already enthralled by her friend's depiction of events. "I can't _believe_ you're working for Levi Ackerman! Now I understand why you didn't complain about living there." Elysia smiled a bit and whispered, "Well, it's more complicated than that..." Klara's eyes widened and she leaned in to listen. Elysia cupped her hands to Klara's ear, ensuring no one would hear, and described as plainly as possible what happened between her and her Captain.

"You did what??" Klara shouted, attracting the attention of a few other patrons. "Shh!" Elysia hushed. After the outburst, Klara was speechless. She was admittedly a little jealous of her friend's experiences, but did not envy the precarity of her situation. "I don't know what to do," Elysia said at a normal volume. "There's no obvious answer, that's for sure. But what are your options?" Klara mused, "You could... quit and try to forget about him?" Elysia shook her head earnestly; it was out of the question at this point. "Well, then maybe you should become a Cadet and prove that you're willing to lay down your life for him," Klara suggested jokingly. They both laughed. The idea of sacrificing herself for Levi wasn't unimaginable, but the thought of her fighting titans was ridiculous. "He'd kill me if I tried to join the Scouts anyway" Elysia explained between giggles. The girls mulled over other options, but nothing in Elysia's power seemed tenable without divine intervention.

Suddenly, Klara realized how long they'd been talking and chugged the rest of her beer. "Fucking hell, I'm going to be late to dinner again," she said hurriedly scattering coins on the bar for her drink. "Tell me what happens next time you're in town!" Klara shouted back to Elysia, already halfway out of the tavern. Elysia smirked at the dramatic, rushed exit of her sweet friend. In no hurry herself, she sipped at her remaining beer and felt a sigh of relief to have finally told someone about this. It was obviously not an option to reveal her secret to anyone at the Scout headquarters. She needed to at least maintain the appearance of professionalism and didn't want to draw any more attention to Levi.

Elysia was lost in thought when a very drunk man approached the bar and leaned uncomfortably close to her. "Looks like you need some company tonight," he slurred with a revolting grin. She politely declined, quickly and calmly placing a neat stack of coins on the bar, "Actually, I was just leaving. If you'll excuse me.." She stood and tried to step around him, but he took several stumbling steps to block her path. Starting to get a bit frantic, Elysia's eyes darted around the room, searching for potential allies. The bartender had gone out for a break. She realized that every other man in the bar, and there were only men, could just as easily be the one harassing her and decided not to risk any of them teaming up. She felt her heart start to race losing sight of a way out.

Just then, the bartender returned; the menacing man before her turned his head in response to the new arrival and Elysia took the fleeting opportunity to run for the door. She made it outside, but not yet to safety. The man, who looked like he had done this before, lumbered after her out onto the street. The bartender and other patrons assumed it was a domestic dispute and carried on with their festivities. Elysia ran in the direction of home, trying to strike the crucial balance between speed and stability since tripping would mean her capture.

He continued pursuing her down the mostly empty street, calling out obscenities and threats as he encroached. After a couple of kilometers like this, she turned sharply down a side street and made the split second decision to hide in a narrow alley instead of continuing to run. Her stamina was waning and her feet were already bleeding from running in shoes meant for a carriage. It was a high-risk decision that she didn't take lightly. If she hid successfully, she could escape without outrunning her predator, who had been steadily gaining on her. But if she was discovered, they would be hidden out of sight, where he would have the cover of darkness to take advantage of her.

Tears welled in her eyes as she painfully tried to quiet the panting breath that was burning in her lungs. She heard his unsteady footsteps, "Where are you, bitch?" he snarled. The hot tears rolling down her cheeks were instantly chilled by the night air. All she could do was stay silent and hope for him to give up before finding her. She heard his stumbling become intermittently louder and quieter, until it seemed to fade away. The cold started biting at her bloody ankles and she held her arms tightly around her chest, shivering intensely. She wanted to leave, but couldn't risk emerging until there was absolutely no doubt he was gone. There would be no second chances if he had decided to wait nearby quietly to trap her.

In those long terrifying minutes of uncertainty, she desperately wished that Levi had been there. No one in walls was matched to his ability, there was quite literally no place as safe as by his side. She started crying again. _Is it not enough that we already live in fear of being eaten alive? That the Scouts are sent to their deaths to protect us?_ Elysia was angry at the horrible man and the cruelness of the world. But she was also angry at herself for being defenseless. For how often men leered at her, she had never learned any self-defense. She sunk her time and effort into healing people, not hurting them. She resolved to change the fact that her only viable option in this situation had been to flee and hide.

After almost an hour in the cold, Elysia finally peered around the corner out to the street. She didn't see or hear anyone in the area. Gathering the rest of her strength, she braced herself and ran from her hiding spot all the way back to her house. She collapsed as soon as the door slammed shut behind her and fiercely gasped to catch her breath. A sense of relief calmed her slightly, but she didn't feel completely safe here because she lived alone.

It was unusual for an unwed woman of her age to live in a spacious house by herself, but Elysia had been living like this since her parents were killed by titans 4 years earlier. With no siblings or other living relatives, she stayed and maintained the house on her own. She had managed to be discreet about her living situation to avoid unwelcome visitors for this many years and she did not want that tenuous safety net to be destroyed tonight. As her adrenaline faded, the stinging pain at her ankles came sharply into focus. Her entire body ached from sprinting and shivering for so long. She pushed off her ruined shoes and slowly got to her feet.

Elysia wanted nothing more than a long bath, something she didn't have access to at the Scout Headquarters. But still fearing a break-in, she decided not to risk being caught in such a vulnerable state. She drank some water and cleaned up the damage to her feet. Shortly thereafter, she fell into a light, uncomfortable sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Awash with emotional and physical pain from her traumatic experience the night before, Elysia decided to return to Headquarters as quickly as possible. She needed to feel safe again and no longer cared if returning so soon would make her seem overeager. As soon as she stepped outside, she kept a brisk pace and didn't look back. The pain biting at her heels made her wince towards the end of the walk, but she pressed on. Once inside, she slowed a bit to avoid attracting attention to herself and headed directly to shower. After successfully avoiding anyone who might stop her for a conversation, Elysia went straight to her room and dreamlessly slept until sundown.

Soon after waking, she realized how long it had been since she'd eaten anything substantial and wandered to the dining hall in a haze, hunger overtaking her desire to hide away. Hanji waved her over to a table where she was eating with Moblit. Elysia returned her wave with a weak smile that did not go unnoticed. "What on Earth happened to you?" Hanji demanded as soon as Elysia sat down. "I just start to wither away when I'm apart from all of you," she joked, hoping to placate them without revealing what she'd been through. Sensing the disturbance in her voice, Moblit and Hanji stared back at her intently. When neither of them seemed willing to break the silence that followed, Elysia sighed, letting her forced smile fade. She resigned herself to telling them under a strict condition: "I'll tell you the truth, but you can't tell Captain Levi... for reasons that will become clear." Hanji nodded first and Moblit followed suit.

Elysia described her hellish night to the pair, who immediately understood why Levi couldn't find out. Hanji consoled her expertly, having talked countless Scouts through unimaginable darkness. "Thank you for trusting us with this, Elysia. I'm terribly sorry you had to go through that alone. I promise we won't tell anyone." Her voice was reassuring. Moblit added, "Levi would kill that man in broad daylight if he found out." All three of them knew that was true, even if they didn't know the extent of the Captain's relationship to his Assistant.

Hoping to lift Elysia's spirits, Hanji decided to share an observation. "You know, you may not actually wither when you're away, but Levi is _extra distant_ when you're not around. His eyes get this lost look, like the time might pass more quickly if he doesn't acknowledge his surroundings." Moblit laughed at the accuracy of her description. Elysia's smile returned with more warmth and a soft blush kissed her cheeks. "There's no need to lie to make me feel better," she replied with a grin. The three sat around and talked long after they'd finished eating, until Elysia's energy started to wane again. She thanked her friends for their kindness and company before returning to her room. Standing outside her door, she stared longingly at the door to Levi's quarters. She desperately wanted to see him, but if Hanji and Moblit had seen straight through her facade, it would never get past him.

Monday morning couldn't have arrived soon enough. Putting on her uniform and receiving tasks from the note on Levi's desk renewed her sense of purpose and focus. Knowing that she would get to see him at the end of the day motivated her through her work at an even more impressive pace than usual. After blazing through paperwork and dusting the surfaces in his office and bedroom, she noticed a basket of crumpled clothes. Elysia paused to weigh her options. It seemed intimate to wash his clothes without being told to, but she had nothing left to do and it was an incredibly tedious task that she could spare the Captain from doing himself.

With a quick prayer that he wouldn't be angry with her initiative, she lifted the basket and brought it to the laundry room. For the next hour or so, she washed his garments in a soapy tub, rang them out, and hung them to dry. She exhaled audibly with satisfaction and admired her work. For a fleeting moment, Elysia imagined washing their clothes together and seeing their uniforms strung up side-by-side. She shook the image from her head and tried to focus on how she'd spend the remaining hours of daylight.

Suddenly, in the silence of the laundry room, she remembered her terrifying ordeal and how she had resolved to learn some basic self-defense. There has to be some equipment outside that I can train with, Elysia thought, recognizing one of the rare perks of living on at the Survey Corps Headquarters. She went back to her room first to change into something more suitable. A simple shirt tucked into high-waisted pants was the most athletic ensemble she could manage.

Outside the main building, Elysia found a somewhat secluded row of training dummies. She approached one cautiously and tried to gather the will to fight. Violence was not something that came easily to her, in any form. She tried to throw a punch, but she instinctively slowed her hand just before impact. _My hands are for healing_ , she thought, bringing them together against her chest. Suddenly feeling hopeless, she considered going back inside and forgetting the whole idea. But she decided to try one more approach before giving up entirely.

Elysia took a small step backward and widened her stance. She mustered as much anger and focus as she could. With a sharp inhalation, she pulled her right knee up toward her inanimate opponent and threw her foot forward in a forceful gut kick. She winced on impact, her feet were still tender from that night, but the energy she just exerted also made her feel... lighter. Without thinking, she returned to her stance and whipped the training dummy with another kick. An excited smile flashed across her face. Feeling so much power originate from her small frame was surprisingly exhilarating. Her breathing grew heavy, as she continued practicing her kicks, trying to hit different areas of the dummy and playing with various angles and starting positions. Between her panting, she heard something that all but knocked the wind out of her.

"Hmm, do you think you'll be able to overpower me with kicks like those?" Levi's cutting voice rang from behind her. She whipped around and found him standing right behind her, having approached silently. A cluster of Cadets walked by, a few trying to read the situation and whispering their theories about the mysterious Captain and his suspiciously beautiful Assistant. Elysia realized they must have happened to pass her on their way back from training. Her initial shock softened and she got a hold of her breathing. Levi wasn't smiling, but amusement glittered in his shadowy eyes.

"I was just... practicing.." Elysia trailed off without being able to articulate any kind of explanation. The Captain was intrigued by this development and her obscured motivations. The Cadets made it back inside, leaving the two of them alone. "The problem with training dummies, Elysia, is that they don't fight back." As soon as the words left his mouth, his fist blew past her face in a deliberately offset punch. She gasped and was just as suddenly spinning towards the ground. With an imperceptibly light touch, he had pulled her wrists together behind her back and spun her so she dangled away from him. Giving her just enough time to process this, he let go of her wrists and let her fall for a few milliseconds before catching her shoulders and lifting her back to standing.

Elysia was speechless. The speed and strength of his movements paired with the lightness of his touch was surreal. "Go on then, try and kick me," Levi invited, clearly enjoying himself beneath her serious veneer. She hesitated, not wanting to direct violence of any sort towards her superior. He leaned in to her ear and whispered, "Don't hold back," in a tone that was equally alluring and commanding. She realized that if she didn't fight him, he'd tease her out in the open until she submitted to his request. With a shaky breath, she found her stance and threw her first kick, aiming for the side of his rib cage. As expected, he effortlessly dodged it and appeared ready for another. She continued kicking with all of her strength and speed and he continued dodging or gently deflecting her kicks. For an unguarded instant, a smirk danced on Levi's lips. Elysia brow furrowed in frustration that she couldn't even graze him, after almost 20 minutes of her best efforts.

Even though he would've been happy to do this for hours, he could sense her energy and confidence dwindling. With the start of her next side kick, he simultaneously stepped in towards her and caught her bent knee against his waist. She drew in a heated breath, suddenly flooded by the memories of the last time he had her positioned like this. He pulled her closer, their faces almost touching and her leg now wrapped around his hip, with a strong hand to her back for stability. "Now, Elysia, won't you tell me why I found you training here alone today?" Levi asked, searching her eyes for any signs of deception.

"Maybe I'm training to become a Scout so you won't have any more excuses." Elysia purred back, desperately yearning for Levi's touch. He let out a quiet, dark laugh at the idea. "Unfortunately for you, the titans out there aren't as gentle with their opponents as I am." He brushed a finger across the stretch of pants directly above her clit. She moaned as quietly as she could. "Tell me the truth. Unless you'd rather I play with you until someone inevitably hears your sounds." Levi looked fully prepared to follow through on his threat. After another brush between her legs, Elysia conceded, "Mm, fine, I'll tell you, but not here."

Levi promptly released her leg in agreement and the two retreated to his office. He examined the neat piles and annotations she'd left dutifully on his desk before leaning against it and waiting for Elysia to share. After carefully considering how much to tell him, she spoke, "I want to learn how to defend myself... Not from titans, but from... men who want to.." Her face fell and her voice stilled in the air. Levi took a sharp breath in, barely containing his rage at the idea of a man hurting her. He lifted her chin and found her gaze; the fear in her eyes was incredibly pure. His anger solidified into determination to prevent her fears from being realized. "I will personally train you to fight so you can protect yourself. You'll spar with me alone. I won't allow any of the worthless Cadets to lay their unrefined hands on you." He moved to graze her cheek with the back of his hand and softened his voice, "But as long as you're by my side, please know that I'll protect you with my life."

Tears of relief and adoration glistened in Elysia's endlessly blue eyes. Unable to express her gratitude with words, she leaned in and pressed a singular, tender kiss to his lips. He returned her kiss and resisted pulling her in closer and keeping her here for the night. Levi knew she was striving to become a doctor now and wanted to make sure she had enough time to study. He forced his desire to the back of his mind and told her he needed to take care of some work. Elysia returned to her room, completely saturated with the warmth of Levi's promise to protect her.


	10. Chapter 10

The early morning light kissed Elysia's serenely sprawled figure. She woke up with a little stretch and soft smile, still beaming from the day before. Hoping to practice more self-defense later on, she was eager to begin her work. After a particularly relaxing shower, she slipped into her uniform and went to Levi's office. It was almost an hour earlier than she usually came by, but she hoped he wouldn't mind, if he even there. She knocked lightly and waited for a signal to enter. "Who's there?" an exasperated voice finally demanded. "Elysia, Sir, sorry to disturb you.. I just-" Levi opened the door just enough to let her in, still buttoning his shirt with his other hand. His hair was a bit wet and he looked incredible, having obviously just gotten out of the shower.

Elysia blushed at the thought of him showering and stepped inside. "I was just thinking about you." He causally informed her. She gasped lightly and ran her fingers through her dark, silky waves nervously. "Y-you were?" she asked, completely caught off guard by the remark. He stepped in closer to her, the cool wetness of his hair brushed against her cheek and she responded with an erotic shiver. He whispered into her ear, "Yes, there's something I need to know about you." Her heart fluttered at the sensation of the cool trace of water and the warmth of his whisper.

Just before she could process his words, he effortlessly lifted her, bridal-style to accommodate her tight skirt, and carried her into his bedroom. He set her down gracefully at the edge of the bed. Panic began to rise in Elysia's mind, which simply couldn't parse the relationship between his words and his actions. "What..is it that you need to know?" She looked up at her with an equally worried and eager expression. He reveled in the anticipation, in her trust in him, and how perfectly fuckable she looked on his bed. Levi wanted to continue silently admiring her and letting her mind race, but he didn't have long before morning training.

Without wasting another moment, he leaned over Elysia and gently brushed her hair behind her ear. "I want to know how you taste, Elysia." He dragged the back of his fingers down the slope of her breast, stopping to graze her nipple with his thumb. Her eyebrows furrowed with lust and she bit her lip. She badly needed his touch, but she tensed with shyness at the idea. Her eye contact faltered and Levi could see that she was flustered. It was incredibly enticing to see how much her composure wilted in his presence. He moved his hand to her shoulder and gently pressed her backward until she was lying on the bed with her knees bent and her feet resting on the edge.

"Close your eyes," he commanded, running his finger across her thigh. She obeyed and felt her body relax a bit. Even though she had been fully informed of his intentions, she was still unprepared when he swiftly lifted her legs and pushed her skirt out of the way so it bunched around her hips. His warm fingers replaced where the fabric had been, wrapping firmly around the edges of her panties. She had put them on less than half an hour before and they were already wet with her desire. Instead of immediately removing them, he gently tugged them towards her waist, causing the fabric to press against her sensitive pussy and a breathy moan to release from her lips.

With her eyes closed, she didn't notice Levi sink to one knee. Once there, he traced from her navel to her entrance in an uninterrupted line. Her legs were already trembling when he pressed his lips to the saturated fabric clinging to her cunt. She urgently covered her mouth to muffle her desperate cry of anticipation. Elysia rolled her hips, pressing herself more forcefully against his now slightly parted lips. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Levi pulled her panties to the ground in one measured, continuous motion.

Feeling suddenly exposed and aware that her Captain's face was now inches from her bare cunt, Elysia squeezed her legs together. The effort did nothing to obscure his view, succeeding only in pressing her lower lips together irresistibly. As much as Levi ached to taste her, he couldn't stop admiring the sight of her like this. His own breathing picked up, almost audibly, as he took in the beautifully glistening slit before him, begging to be touched. Without warning, he pressed the tip of his middle finger to her entrance and felt it glide inside her fully with only the slightest pressure. Elysia cried out into her hand in pleasure, while his eyes rolled back at the silken tightness of her pussy tensing around his finger.

He kept his finger completely still, deep inside her, and lightly ran his tongue from his knuckle to her clit. Her shaky legs pressed together tighter in ecstasy. With his free hand, he forced one of her legs out to the side and held it down, easily overpowering her, as he continued to explore her cunt with his lips. His grip on her thigh strengthened and he gently kissed between her now spread legs before circling her skillfully with his tongue. Elysia's breathing was now completely uncontrolled and laced with sounds that made Levi even harder. He began curling and extending the finger inside her in a syncopated rhythm so she couldn't prepare for the next wave. Imagining her wetness enclosing his cock and cherishing her sweet taste with a soft suck, Levi moaned onto her clit with a low hum. Just before bringing her beyond the edge of orgasm, he slipped his finger out completely and pressed it steadily against the line of her slit to feel her trembling pre-orgasmic contractions, as if admiring his work.

Suddenly, he stood and leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her shoulders. Her eyes opened, brimming with betrayal at his retreat. "I have my answer. Elysia... you taste fucking incredible. But it looks like you're still waiting for something. What could that be, I wonder?" His words dripped with unbearably sexual energy, almost compensating for the absence of his touch. She caught her breath enough to beg, "Please..please Levi, I need you inside me." He smirked at how easily he brought her to her knees. Her desperate expression made it clear that she'd do anything to persuade him.

Without breaking eye contact, he reached one of his hands back down to her thigh, the other hand continuing to support his body over hers. In the same moment, he leaned in to kiss her and his finger entered her again. She moaned into his lips with unimaginable relief. He alternated between pushing it deep inside her and pulling it out completely to brush against her clit. He pulled back from the kiss and whispered, "How does such a sweet girl end up begging for something so filthy?" His finger plunged into her again and she gasped for air.

He lifted her to sit, supporting her with a hand behind her neck, fingers interlaced in her hair. "I'll allow you to cum so you can focus and be a good Assistant for me today. But you have to watch." With that simple command, Levi knelt down again and pulled his finger out of her, instead placing both of his hands on her thighs and holding them firmly apart. Maintaining his intense gaze into her eyes, he languidly ran his tongue down her center line, dwelling on the soft edges of her opening. Her legs shook intensely and she narrowly restrained herself from releasing her head back in pleasure, desperately trying to obey his condition. She watched, completely defenseless, as her Captain expertly drew moans from deep within her with his mouth.

It felt completely obscene and she needed it more than anything. Elysia had fingered herself before, but she had never experienced this sensation, the delicate suction of his lips on her most sensitive part. To prevent her from becoming overstimulated, Levi slowly blew cool air onto her wet cunt. It felt amazing and left Elysia even more eager for the warmth of his tongue to grace her again. He cherished her innocent shyness and how difficult it was for her to maintain eye contact. Her cheeks were with flush with embarrassment and lust. Levi broke her gaze for a split second to check the clock on the wall. _I've got five minutes before I need to be outside for training._ He briefly considered abandoning his post and locking himself away with Elysia for the rest of the day, taking his time with her. As appealing as that sounded, he recommitted to his original plan - to go directly to work after this and wait for her all day.

"Keep your legs open." Levi commanded, releasing her thighs. One of his hands moved between her legs, his fingertip pressed to her entrance to feel her responses to his motions. His other hand reached down to grip his length through his pants. He was unbelievably turned on by the taste of her and began to moan louder against her clit, while stroking himself slowly. The vibration of his sounds against her brought her urgently to orgasm. Her voice quieted to soft, serene sounds of release as she came. Levi felt the surges of her pussy against his fingertip and he closed his eyes lightly to focus on the feeling. After her body stilled, aside from the trembling aftershocks in her legs, he came back to standing and admired her vulnerable state. Elysia looked deeply peaceful and satisfied. She pressed her legs back together with a shiver. Levi dipped into his bathroom and washed his hands and face of the evidence of their morning together. On his way out the door, he told her with a playful smirk, "there's a note on my desk with your tasks, when you're ready."

With that, he forcefully cleared his mind of desire and set out for the day, right on time. After quite a while, Elysia finally recovered from her dreamlike trance and got out of bed, pulling her skirt back over her ass. She decided the leave the damp panties on the floor and retrieve her tasks. The morning proceeded as any other, until Elysia was about halfway through her list and heard a knock on the office door.


	11. Chapter 11

Elysia answered the door apprehensively, not expecting any visitors. Erwin stood in the doorway with an equally perplexed expression. "Pardon the interruption, Miss. A man at the main door has requested to see you," he informed her with his usual eloquent confidence. She couldn't imagine who it could be, but agreed to accompany Erwin back to the Headquarters' entrance to find out. As they approached the door, Elysia grew uneasy. The man coming into focus through the open door looked completely unfamiliar, but she was reassured knowing that she wasn't alone. Erwin commanded a more refined intimidation than Levi's raw threat of violence. Since they were on the same side, she felt very safe around him. The two of them stopped in the entryway and waited for the man to explain his presence.

From up close, Elysia was sure she hadn't seen him before, but evidently he'd seen her and knew her name. "My name is Thomas Balke. I have come today to ask for your hand in marriage and save you from this unbecoming lifestyle. A woman as beautiful as you, Elysia, should not be relegated to working alongside this death cult. I can provide a comfortable life for you in the interior, if you'll accept my generous proposal." The man explained this with arrogance imbued in every word. He seemed sure of his calculation that she would graciously accept. She was taken aback by his overconfidence and furious at his characterization of the Survey Corps. Erwin looked stoic and completely unmoved by this man's lowly opinion.

"I'm sorry that you came all this way, but I'm afraid I'm not interested." Elysia said as politely as she could manage. She reached out to shut the door and the man grabbed her wrist, "You must think this through and consider my offer. Don't dismiss me with such haste!" He was nearly shouting. "Mr. Balke, please - I don't need any more time to deliberate. I've made up my mind." Instead of retreating, Thomas began to push his way into the doorway. Before he could cross the threshold, Erwin stepped in, held one arm out to block him, and wrapped the other around Elysia. "There is nothing left for her to consider because she is already spoken for. You would be wise to leave here and never return." His voice was calm on the surface, but profoundly threatening. Thomas stumbled backwards, fear suddenly overtaking his indignation. He finally noticed how terrifying Erwin was and started to back away. "I-I'm sorry for the intrusion then. I didn't realize she was betrothed to you. I will be on my way." He hurriedly returned to the carriage waiting for him a short distance away.

Once he was out of sight, Erwin shut the door and unwrapped his arm from her shoulder. "Are you alright? I apologize for touching you and pretending to be your suitor. I could tell he wouldn't relent unless he believed you were already taken and I didn't want to remove him by force, if it could be avoided." Elysia smiled and thanked him for intervening. "Not that I ever doubted your qualifications, but now I've seen for myself what makes you an excellent Commander," she said with a smile, which he returned warmly. "However, I'm terribly sorry that I brought this disturbance to your day," she continued, feeling burdensome. "It was no trouble at all, Elysia, and besides, it's not as though you invited him," Erwin replied, laughing heartily. She thanked him again and excused herself to return to work.

Erwin was primarily intrigued and amused by the whole interaction. He was becoming more curious about the sweet Elysia and her brooding Captain, who had so far been completely opaque about their working relationship. Each time Erwin asked how things were going, Levi replied in as few words as possible, while somehow conveying less information than silence would have. The master strategist decided to try using this new development to glean some insight into their inner lives. He had honestly considered asking Elysia directly since she seemed hopelessly honest, but he didn't want Levi to be angry with her if he succeeded in prying. 

A few hours later, Erwin met with all of the Captains and Vice Captains to discuss the expedition set for the following week. It was poised to be particularly lethal and the entire Corps was taking extra precautions. After the meeting subsided, Erwin asked Levi to stay behind for a few minutes to discuss other matters. They spoke about some specifics relating to Levi's squad, which was to play a critical role, as usual, while the remaining Captains filed out of the room. Once they were alone, Erwin revealed a smug smile. "What the fuck are you grinning about? Did a woman let you hold her hand or something?" Levi taunted aggressively. "Wouldn't you like to know? There was an incident earlier involving your Assistant." Levi stood angrily, waiting impatiently for an explanation. "Tell me what happened or I'll leave and ask her myself."

"A moderately wealthy asshole from the interior came to ask for her hand in marriage. He said something about rescuing her from this place." Levi was unable to contain the extent of his rage. His fists dug into the table forcefully, the veins in his hands becoming more pronounced. His unmatched scowl was on full display, anger burning through his vision. "Tch," Levi was seething, but he desperately needed to know more, "what did she say?" Erwin was quite pleased with how much Levi's response was already revealing; it was far more intense than he expected. "Oh well, she gladly accepted and the two rode off in marital bliss," Erwin joked. Despite recognizing that he wasn't serious, Levi's fury intensified and he looked seconds away from lashing out violently. "Ah, Levi, if you knock me unconscious, you won't hear how it really went," Erwin told him with a sigh. "She politely declined, of course. But he refused to accept it until I told him she was already taken. I momentarily posed as her future husband to sell it."

Levi's temper cooled marginally, but he was still at a loss for words that wouldn't betray his honest feelings. He was overwhelmingly furious at the intrusion of the suitor, but part of him was also now jealous that Erwin had gotten to pretend to be with her romantically, even just for a minute. "I'm sure you're relieved to hear that she declined, even if you won't admit it, but if the idea of her marrying someone is so infuriating to you, you had better take action to prevent the possibility." Erwin's words were chosen carefully to convey that this wouldn't be the last time someone tried to claim Elysia without insinuating too bluntly that he knew Levi cared for her. Levi sighed angrily. "If it were as simple as strolling up to the fucking front door and asking her, maybe I already would have." Erwin raised his strong eyebrows at the admission, which Levi instantly regretted. To avoid revealing any more information unintentionally, he took his leave without another word.

Meanwhile, Elysia finished the latter half of her tasks and went to retrieve Levi's dry clothes from the laundry room. She meticulously folded them on his bed and placed them into their proper drawers. The ambient smell of him wafted up to her from the fabric and she breathed deeply, letting memories replace oxygen in her lungs. Unfortunately, the unexpected proposal earlier and her... busy morning had put her on a schedule that wouldn't permit practicing self-defense today. She wanted to spar with Levi again, badly. It was exhilarating to see him show off his expertly refined coordination and dizzying speed. He was able to perfectly strike the balance between tenderness with her body and strength against his surroundings. She finished putting away his clothes and laid on his bed for a few minutes, imagining how his combat skills could translate seamlessly into his ability to overpower her sexually. She shivered and forced herself back up to keep busy until his return.

Soon enough, the Captain made his appearance. With significant effort, he had been able to get his anger under control before meeting with her. He drew a final meditative breath to clear the remaining disturbances in his mind and entered his office. "Welcome back, Captain. How was your day?" Elysia greeted him warmly. He responded curtly, "Erwin told me a suitor came to rescue you earlier." Levi had planned to intentionally not mention it, but seeing her brought his feelings sharply back into focus, where he couldn't avoid them. He briskly strode over to where she was standing. 

"Why didn't you go with him? You deserve the opulence and safety of the interior. You deserve better than this," his scowl had returned with a hint of desperation. Elysia was taken aback by his response. She had not once considered agreeing to the proposal and Levi almost looked angry at her decision. While searching his eyes for emotional clarity, she decided to tell him the truth. "Erwin may have been lying when he said I was taken, but it's true. I'm yours, Levi, in whatever capacity you'll allow." She spoke with more confidence than she'd ever mustered towards her Captain. His lips parted and eyes widened as he tried to process her confession. Instead of vocalizing what he wanted to tell her, he pulled her into an incredibly passionate kiss. It wouldn't be fair to express any commitment exceeding the boundaries of his post as a Captain. All Levi could do was hold onto this moment and show her what she meant to him.

The way he kissed her felt completely different, it was _devotional_. After a wholly indeterminate amount of time like this, Elysia felt his power melt into her and she found the sudden strength to assert control over her life. She pulled away from him and started unbuttoning her blouse while almost dancing towards his bedroom. The fabric fell to the floor, followed by her bra. His breath hitched at the divine sight of her bare chest inviting him to follow her. Unable to decline her invitation, he followed her until they were beside the foot of his bed. She pulled her skirt down, facing away from him, revealing that she hadn't worn panties since their encounter that morning. He released a soft gasp at the revelation and his gaze became fixed on the perfect curves of her ass. After rolling her hips towards him seductively, she turned to meet his face. He breathed in sharply and offered a final warning, "Elysia, I can't guarantee my restraint beyond this point. If you have any reservations, please return to your room."


	12. Chapter 12

_"Elysia, I can't guarantee my restraint beyond this point. If you have any reservations, please return to your room."_

She pressed a finger to his lips and whispered into his ear, her delicate hand brushing against his undercut, "I can decide matters of my future without your assistance." With that, she pulled him onto her, toppling them both backwards to the mattress. He groaned, still trying to maintain control. Lying beneath him, completely exposed, Elysia reached up to his shirt and unbuttoned it slowly, staring deeply into his eyes. The sides of the shirt finally parted, revealing his strong, lean torso. Her fingers traced down his abs to his belt and she began to unfasten it. He refused to be complicit by actively undressing himself, but he couldn't bring himself to stop her.

It hadn't occurred to him that she might assert control in this way, which left him completely defenseless in this moment. Despite how effortless his self-discipline appeared, it was all contingent on people, and titans for that matter, behaving as he anticipated. He failed to account for Elysia's shift in confidence and the consequence of that miscalculation was watching her pull his incredibly hard cock out of his now unbuttoned and unzipped pants. His eyes rolled back at the cool touch of her petite fingers around him. Before he could acclimate to the sensation, she laid back again and pressed his length to the warm line between her legs.

He moaned hopelessly and began rubbing his cock between her lips, becoming glossier with her wetness every stroke. She responded with higher-pitched cries of her own, completely overtaken by lust at the long-awaited sight and touch of his perfect erection. For a fleeting moment, Levi regained his sense of integrity and decided that both of them could easily cum from this rubbing alone. He was dancing along the event horizon, the point of no return. He believed he could defy the building momentum with enough willpower.

If it weren't for Elysia's own determination, he might have succeeded. But instead of allowing him to keep her at the edge of the boundary he created, she pulled her hips up at just the right moment so the tip of his cock slipped into her tight opening. His eyes closed forcefully as a wave of pleasure wracked his entire body. His mind cleared of all hesitation. If he weren't meant to do this, it couldn't possibly feel so divine. As if he needed more convincing, she melted the remnants of his impossibly steel willpower with the most beautiful moan. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he growled in a low tone, sliding his arms under her back and securing his hands onto her shoulders. He leaned in to suck her bottom lip and pushed himself into her fully, moans harmonizing in the electric space between their lips. He went slowly at first, fully aware that she had never had anything of this size inside of her, but her body accepted him with frictionless entry.

Noticing in his periphery that she was struggling to keep quiet, he placed his hand tenderly over her mouth and thrusted forcefully inside her. She relaxed completely beneath his hand, allowing herself to moan loudly at the surreal pleasure of every motion. Soon after they began, her pussy tightened around him intensely, revealing how close she already was to orgasm. "Did you think I'd let you cum so quickly?" He fucked her rapidly and deeply for half a minute before pulling out completely and resting his heavy cock on her pulsing clit. "I've waited too long for this to let you off so easily," Levi smiled darkly. Elysia groaned desperately, feeling her orgasm fade, "L-Levi, please..."

"What are you whimpering about? Is there something you need?" he taunted, brushing his thumb along her bottom lip. Elysia was humiliated by his insistence that she say the following words out loud, but that only turned her on more, "Please, I need you to fuck me." He grinned at her rosy cheeks and how much she was struggling to keep her eyes on his. "Hmm, is that so?" he drawled, pushing himself up to standing with ease. "Turn over, on your hands and knees," he demanded. She obediently re-positioned herself, fully on display. "Mmm, that's better," he said before brushing his middle finger lightly down her slippery cunt. He grabbed her ass roughly with his other hand, eliciting a gasp from Elysia.

"Now, tell me again what you want." She turned her head to look back at him. Levi's view was incredible: her exposed body in this vulnerable position, begging for his touch, and the yearning look on her face. "I want your cock inside of me, Levi." His breath stiffened at the sound of her begging. "Such filthy words coming from those pretty lips. What a disgrace." Without warning, he thrust fully into her again causing her to scream with satisfaction. He maintained a strong pace. Eventually, Elysia began moving her hips rhythmically in opposition to his thrusts. He smirked and held still to watch her bounce against him and roll her hips to accommodate his length.

Levi realized her scream would have been audible in the hallway and he would need to take precautions before proceeding to fuck her as hard as he wanted to. He removed his already open shirt and placed it within reach of Elysia, leaving a delicate kiss on her back along the way. "If you can't keep quiet, bite down on this." She rolled the fabric into a shape that would fit in her mouth and bit down on it. Levi immediately doubled his speed and force with both of his hands on her hips, giving him even more leverage. Her increasingly loud vocalizations were muffled by the makeshift gag, but still rang through clearly in Levi's ears. It delighted him to witness her becoming fully incapacitated by his impact.

She tried to tell him that she was going to cum, but the words disintegrated before she could form them between moans. Levi felt her pre-orgasmic trembling and realized he couldn't stop her even if he tried so he fucked her even harder until she came. He wanted to continue but the sensation of her pussy tightly oscillating around his cock sent him over the edge and he came hard inside her. He rested his forehead on her back and breathed heavily against it, causing her to shiver. He slowly slipped out of her entrance and swiftly retrieved a washcloth to press lightly against her sensitive cunt. He stepped out of his pants and then lifted her, washcloth between her legs, to the shower.

While the water heated up to a steamy temperature, he cradled her in his arms effortlessly. She opened her eyes slightly to look up at his beautiful features. His expression was stoic, but there was a new warmth in his smoldering grey eyes. When the shower was suitable, he set her down into the stream and got in behind her. He cautiously kept an arm around her waist for stability. It was clear that she could hardly stand so he pressed her head to rest against his chest and supported her body weight with one arm while soaping her off with the other. She was barely cognizant of his actions, almost sedated by the flood of hormones circulating her body and exhausted by the excitement of her day.

Once they were both thoroughly clean, Levi helped her out of the shower, dried her off carefully, and carried her back to his bed. She was in no state to be seen leaving his room so spending the night here was the only tenable option. He tucked her into his sheets and told her that he'd be right back. He dressed himself and slipped out to retrieve clean underwear and clothes from her room. When he got to her door, he wavered at breaching the boundary of her room before laughing to himself. _Who am I kidding? She's completely naked in my bed._ He respectfully gathered some fresh clothes for her without disturbing her space and returned to his room.

Elysia was already deeply asleep when he returned. He skillfully slipped her legs into her clean panties and pulled them up snugly without waking her. She looked breathtakingly peaceful. Levi longed to sleep beside her. He sighed and laid down to face her, but sleep never graced him this quickly or completely. Tonight, in particular, his mind was racing to determine the implications of what they had just done. What did it mean for her as his Assistant? As a civilian? As a woman he was falling for? Just as Elysia had decided after her discussion with Klara, Levi didn't see any viable paths forward, only the liminal space between where they were now and dead ends ahead of them.

When he was sure she was too asleep to hear him, Levi whispered what he had wanted to say earlier, but couldn't. "I don't know what will happen, but I want to stay by your side as long as I can. Our lives may be irreconcilable, but only death can take me from you, Elysia." She didn't hear him, but saying those words aloud helped ease Levi's mind enough to drift off lightly beside her.


	13. Chapter 13

Levi woke to distantly familiar warmth beneath his fingertips, which he could now identify as his hand resting on Elysia's waist without opening his eyes. An unrestrained expression of serene joy washed over his face, a kind of unseen smile that only appeared in private or total darkness. Unlike their morning in the infirmary, Levi could now pull her closer and graze his fingers along the slope of her hip to his heart's content. He was careful to touch her lightly enough to avoid waking her, as if she might otherwise continue sleeping safely beside him forever. Despite his best efforts, the streams of fresh sunlight eventually drifted to her pillow and she scrunched her face at the blood orange glow illuminating her lids. Elysia instinctively rolled away from the brightness to face her admirer. When she finally opened her eyes, he held her gaze intensely yet somehow softly. She gasped and sat up abruptly, suddenly disoriented and concerned by her surroundings and his presence. _Did I fall asleep in Levi's bed? Beside him?_

Elysia wracked her memory trying to piece together the series of events that led her to this moment. She vividly recalled losing her virginity to him, but what happened afterwards was a blur of steam, soap, and crisp bed sheets. Levi read her confusion and began to fill the gaps in her recollection. "Last night, I helped you shower and brought you to bed. You were in no condition to make it even the dozen steps to your own room and I couldn't risk anyone seeing me carry you there," he smirked at the idea. Instead of looking relieved, Elysia still seemed troubled. "I'm sorry," she replied with a serious tone.

Levi frowned and corrected her assumption, "Elysia, it's not like that. Even if you could have made it to your room, I _wanted_ you to stay here with me." He sounded hurt by her apology. She looked even more worried, trying to figure out how to apologize for saying she was sorry. Still lying down and looking up at her, Levi reached his hands out and wrapped them around one of hers. He reassured her with a steady voice, "I'm not angry with you. I'm disappointed in myself for making you think that I would be."

In response to his explanation, Elysia laid her head down in his lap and clasped his hands firmly. Her face finally relaxed into a small smile. She was remarkably delicate in Levi's world - filled with fearless soldiers and the towering beasts of destruction they fought to the death. Gradually, he was learning to navigate the unexplored territory of being around her and she was gaining insight into his inscrutable emotional depths. Levi could control his body to touch her with precise, feathery lightness, but he sometimes struggled to reign in the sharper edges of his personality.

After lying together for some time, quietly mulling over one another, Levi spoke again. "Would you like to take a shower here? I have fresh clothes for you." "Yes, thank you," she nodded graciously. He turned on the shower to the perfect temperature and waited for her in the bedroom. After she was finished, Levi took a military style shower and came out as she was putting on the short wrap dress he retrieved from her room the night before. "Oh, this isn't my uniform," she said, pausing the process of tying the dress together at the waist. With a towel around his hips and water droplets glistening on his chest, Levi approached her from behind and touched his hand to her cheek. "That's because you're not working today," he explained casually. She considered the possibility that she'd lost track of the days and the weekend had already arrived before he continued, "I want you to have the day off so you can study and rest."

Her eyes brightened with excitement at the news as she turned to face him, then quickly shifted to surprise when she caught sight of his exposed, dripping body. She blushed and bit her lip, trying her best not to stare. He smirked at her response and kissed her rosy cheek tenderly. Without tempting her any longer, Levi went over to his drawers to get dressed and noticed the immaculately folded laundry. "Are you responsible for this? How very domestic," he said with suggestive undertones. Elysia grinned, still averting her gaze as he dressed, "I hope you don't mind." "Of course not, I appreciate everything you do for me." The directness of his gratitude made her heart race. His low breathy voice sounded even sexier when he was praising her.

After expertly assembling his uniform and its impossible matrix of harnesses, Levi drank his morning tea and prepared to leave. "My desk is yours to use while I'm away," he offered on his way out. "Thank you, Captain, I hope you have a good day," she returned warmly.

Levi had accurately calculated that she'd been studying less recently as the time they spent together swelled. She was grateful for the opportunity to catch up and dive more deeply into her books during the early hours of the day when she was sharpest. Pages of notes steadily accumulated on his desk over the course of the day, which she mainly spent pacing around his office reciting information aloud and intermittently scrawling diagrams to reinforce her understanding. Studying medicine was a full-body experience for Elysia, between the involved note-taking methods and occasionally prodding and examining her own body for reference. As much as she enjoyed this form of practice, she was rapidly approaching the limits of knowledge books could offer. _Maybe I should volunteer to help in the infirmary for more experience_ , she wondered during a break.

Completely engulfed in her learning, the late afternoon sun pouring into the office eventually reminded her to step away and eat something. None of the Captains she now called friends were in the dining hall so Elysia sat alone and idly eavesdropped on the interior lives of the Cadets. It was simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking to be around them. They were almost all young, but aged by trauma. Those who didn't arrive with damaged hearts quickly acquired them. Sometimes Elysia heard whispers so tragic from the Cadets it took everything in her not to pull them into an embrace and protect them from the future ahead. Ultimately, there was nothing she could do to stop them from marching into peril, towards probable death. She kept her emotions to herself, realizing how much unimaginable heaviness each Scout already carried. The last thing they needed was the guilt of another person wishing they'd just come home. Still, there were other times it was an absolute delight to witness glimpses of friendships and laughter pure enough to make an unsuspecting bystander weep.

Some Scouts appeared to be driven by unfettered hatred and rage, but Elysia could see that beneath the surface, they were mostly kids who would do anything to protect each other and the other people they loved. The facets of their nature that led them to join the Scouts initially, combined with the ubiquity of near-death experiences, gave them an exceptionally human quality that made most other people seem like imposters. The unshakable glint of hope in their eyes, the conviction with which they discussed their dreams, the way they scarfed down every meal as if it were their last. A hot tear, neither of sadness or joy, ran down Elysia's face. She discreetly smudged it into her cheek and composed herself. The raw emotional output of the Cadets could be overwhelmingly even from this distance.

After taking her time eating and listening, Elysia leisurely wandered back to Levi's office. With nowhere else to be, she slowed her pace frequently to admire the features of the stone headquarters as she walked. She let her hand brush along the wall, lagging behind her a bit. Allowing the cool stone edge of the hallway to guide her, she shut her eyes softly to focus on the distant voices and noises resonating through the building like air in its lungs. There was no particular reason she decided to turn her walk into a moving meditation, other than a periodic urge to remind herself that she was awake and alive.

In retrospect, a barely perceptible tapping that could have been footsteps did precede what happened next, but in the moment, she was too absorbed in her thoughts to react. One second she was tracing the stone wall with her fingertips and the next, she was lifted and spun into an enclosed space, where the echoes of activity were suddenly muted. The sound of the door closing prompted her to open her eyes. She might have been afraid if she hadn't been able to quickly identify the strong hands and intoxicating scent around her as Levi's.

"Cute girls shouldn't wander so carelessly," he whispered into her ear. Breathlessly, she parted her lips to reply but the only coherent thoughts in her mind were already invariably filthy. Despite the shock of being swept here blindly, Elysia knew which closet they were currently standing in. She'd opened the door to it while drawing her map on her first day. It was almost completely dark now, but she knew it was a sizable closet where miscellaneous supplies and some spare furniture was stored. Levi caressed both sides of her neck with his extended hand wrapping around it loosely, reminding her of his power in this moment. "Speechless already? Let's see how long you can keep that up."

Realizing what he was about to do, Elysia faintly began to protest, "Levi..." She wanted him badly, but the unlockable closet door presented uncertainty. Unconvinced by the complete contradiction between her words and the thick lust of her tone, he lifted her to sit on an unused table. Just before placing her down, he reached his free hand beneath her dress and smoothly pulled her panties so they hung off of one of her ankles. She gasped and shivered as her bare ass made contact with the brisk wood. Her legs were spread, knees bent towards her chest and she leaned back onto her hands, halfway reclined. Even in the darkness, she blushed thinking about how exposed she was. Her hesitations about the risk of being here were overruled by desire.

Levi's fingertips loitered along her thighs, passing over her pussy without contact, but inching closer each time. Elysia craved his touch, but revelled in the electric anticipation of its absence. He stepped in closer to her so his body was positioned to prevent her legs from closing. Unwilling to risk the noises she might make, he simultaneously covered her mouth with one hand and slid the fingers of his other hand down the center of her pussy. Predictably, she moaned urgently into his palm and curved her hips to press herself against his fingers. With only ten minutes until his next meeting, Levi gave in to her needs more quickly than usual, catching Elysia off-guard by pressing his middle finger to her saturated entrance and letting it fully disappear inside her.

Her moans reverberated through his hand into the muffled acoustics of the closet. Levi pressed more firmly to mitigate her volume while beginning to contract his finger inside her. For several minutes he alternated between fucking her with his finger and lightly gliding it from her opening up to encircle her clit. With the limited light glowing around the edges of the door and acclimated vision, Levi could faintly see how unsteadily she was supporting herself in this position. Normally, he'd prefer to see her posture deteriorate naturally, but he couldn't risk the noise if her arms gave out.

"I'm going to move my hand. Can you be quiet for me, Elysia?" Levi asked with his finger still inside her. He felt her nod obediently against his palm and released her mouth, "That's my girl." Before she could finish her first uncovered breath, he skillfully rotated her body so she was face down, bent over the table. Levi didn't give her a chance to adjust to her new position and continued fingering her from behind. She pressed her hot cheek on the table's cool surface and covered her own mouth to satisfy his request for quiet. Her pussy felt incredible around Levi's finger; more than inviting, her body was demanding his touch. There was nothing he wanted more than to fuck her like this but he knew there wasn't time.

Levi grabbed her ass and began rocking her hips in synchronicity with his finger thrusting into her. He was savoring every moment of her transcendent expressions of pleasure. She looked so beautiful, powerless to lust, eager to debase herself and completely entrust her delicate body to him. Levi was captivated by everything about this moment when the closet door abruptly swung open.


	14. Chapter 14

Levi instantly turned his head to assess the intruder, narrowing his eyes in response to the unwelcome light beaming into their shadowy sanctuary. His exceedingly annoyed expression didn’t falter when he recognized Erwin staring back at him. If Erwin were surprised by the sight of Elysia bent over and fully exposed except for the parts of her Levi’s fingers were obscuring, he certainly didn’t show it. “Tch, fuck off,” Levi commanded in a venomous tone. Elysia was frozen with fear, unable to meet the gaze of whoever was standing in the doorway.

Erwin remained stoic, but he was thoroughly enjoying the view aside from Levi’s menacing scowl. He immediately recognized Elysia’s alluring features and had to force his mind away from her figure and back to the matter at hand. He stood silently for a moment, weighing the possible repercussions of his next move. What they were doing was, of course, prohibited on multiple levels, but punishing Levi was typically an exercise in futility. And if he was being honest with himself, after seeing her in this state, he couldn’t really blame Levi for not being able to keep his hands off her. Perhaps most convincing, though, was the leverage he would have over Levi if he kept this incriminating information to himself.

“I said _fuck off_ , Erwin. I don’t remember inviting you.” Elysia winced silently when the identity of the witness was revealed. At least let it be a frightened Cadet or a kind woman, she’d unsuccessfully prayed. Anyone would’ve been better than the Commander. Erwin finally responded with a smirk. “Clean that table when you’re finished and don’t be late to the meeting, _Captain_.” With that, he shut the door and darkness washed over the room once again. 

Once Erwin was out of earshot down the hall, Levi whispered reassurances to Elysia. “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. That was probably the best thing to ever happen to that idiot. He won’t tell anyone about us.” She sighed softly and hummed the verbal equivalent of a nod, with no choice but to hope Levi’s assessment was correct. After that interaction, she was certain that their fun would be cut short, which was a shamefully disappointing prospect. Elysia tried to reason with herself, _Of course we have to stop, the Commander said-_

“Hmm, did you enjoy that, Elysia? You’re even wetter than before. Now the Commander knows what a filthy girl you are.” A breathy gasp left her lips at his allegation and at the sudden sensation of his finger skimming along her cunt. She could barely contemplate any emotions beyond her humiliation, but she couldn’t deny that despite the interruption she badly wanted Levi to continue. Too ashamed to admit her desire aloud, she instead pressed her ass towards him causing his finger to slip inside her again. Elysia moaned and smoothly swayed her hips, bringing him in and out insistently. Levi’s eyes fluttered back as his own arousal became almost unbearable. He gripped himself urgently as she glided along the length of his finger and painstakingly controlled his breathing. If his internal clock was correct, he had just a couple of minutes before his meeting now. Without giving her any warning, he slipped a second finger inside her and began relentlessly thrusting with her rhythm.

Levi leaned over her while increasing his pace and whispered towards her ear, “I can’t stop anyone else from admiring you, but you’re all mine.” The declaration sent Elysia over the edge and she orgasmed with a few delicate moans. When her oscillating tightness relaxed into slower and longer waves, Levi tenderly pulled out his fingers. He promptly arranged her panties and dress to their original state while she continued resting her upper body on the table to support her shaky legs. He caressed her back with the hand that hadn’t been inside her and made a final request before leaving. “You have to stay here for a few minutes. I don’t want any impressionable Cadets to see you dripping with sex in the hallway.” She agreed and he slipped out the door as silently as he’d swept her in earlier.

After some unmeasured and unimportant amount of time, Elysia sighed, smoothed down her unruly waves, and got to her feet. Unable to survey her appearance in the dim closet, she was left to assume that she looked shipwrecked - damp, unbalanced, and windswept. Time had already undone the damage it could so she left the closet, squinting as her vision adjusted to the well-lit hallway. With post-orgasmic clarity, she was more acutely embarrassed by what happened, but if Levi trusted Erwin then she could too. Before letting the Commander’s requests become irretrievably repressed, she fetched a cloth and cleaning solution and went back to wipe down the table, as promised. With the evidence erased from all but memory, she went straight to Levi’s office, carefully avoiding eye contact along the way. 

Her textbooks and notes were still cluttering his desk, but she was far too exhausted to continue studying so she returned the materials to her room and tidied his workspace. As soon as the necessary preparations for his arrival were complete, Elysia sleepily stumbled to Levi’s bedroom to take a nap. Levi’s assurances from that morning hummed in her mind, assuaging any lingering worries about sleeping there without permission. _Even if you could have made it to your room, I wanted you to stay here with me._

A little while later, he came back to the now spotless and vacant office. It was admittedly disappointing not to be greeted by Elysia’s exceptionally warm welcome, but he knew it was unfair to hope she’d be waiting around for him on her day off. He left some fresh documents on his desk to attend to later and made his way to the bedroom to undress and shower off the inevitable residue of the day’s violence. Stepping into his private quarters, he discovered Elysia’s delicate frame tangled in his sheets. A full-hearted smile settled on his rugged face, its quiet joy warming his steel grey eyes. Seeing her here, safe and serene, was almost analgesic. Her sweetness soothed the pain that ceaselessly wore on his periphery. 

After becoming temporarily mesmerized by the cyclical swell of her breath, Levi showered and put on some clean clothes to avoid startling her awake while naked. Once dressed, he realized he wasn’t quite sure how to rouse her gently. He’d never woken her deliberately and his strategy for others had historically been some combination of kicking and cursing. He sat cautiously beside her and apprehensively ran his palm along her tousled waves, tucking errant strands behind her ear. She looked particularly beautiful and gave the impression of complete belonging, appearing more natural in his bed than he ever had. As much as he wanted to let her sleep, he knew her sleep schedule would be disrupted if she napped for too long this late in the day. He rubbed her partially exposed thigh with just enough pressure to pull her into wakefulness. 

As soon as her sleep-blurred vision brought Levi’s silhouette into view, Elysia smiled blissfully in his direction. He was sure no one had ever looked this happy to see him, not even those he’d swooped in to save from certain death. “Welcome back, Captain,” she said with irresistible raspiness. “I hope you slept well, Elysia.” There was an unplaceable emotion in his voice that she hadn’t heard before, which made her feel protected. “I slept well, but I’m glad to be awake now that you’re home.” The way she said _home_ sounded so right, as though this space had merely been a shelter up to that moment, but now it was undeniably home.

Her eyes drifted from his handsome, freshly cleaned face to his torso and stopped at a haphazard wisp of gauze on his forearm. She frowned, both at the implied injury and the substandard attempt to dress it. “What’s wrong?” Levi asked, perturbed by her dissatisfied expression. “Your arm…” she replied. “It’s fine. A reckless brat managed to let go of his sword mid-swing and it grazed me,” he explained. “Can I fix the dressing? It won’t hold up through the night like this,” she asked. “Really, it’s nothing. Especially compared to the emotional damage of slicing your Captain. He nearly pissed himself when he realized it cut me.” Levi smiled fondly at the memory of the Cadet’s petrified expression. 

Elysia looked unpersuaded and the scarlet tint of blood starting to permeate the gauze certainly wasn’t convincing anyone. “Please, let me take care of you. It hurts to see you improperly cared for. You’d be helping me practice, too.” Levi didn’t see the need to fuss with such a minor injury, but if it was what she really wanted, he would gladly oblige. “Only for you,” he said, prompting Elysia to unwrap herself from his sheets and fetch the first aid supplies from the bathroom. Fully equipped, she sat back down on the bed next to him and began the process of tending to his arm.

After removing the gauze and cleaning the area, she inspected the injury for a moment, which was worse than expected. “Hmm… stay exactly as you are, I’ll be right back.” She hurried gracefully out into the hall then to her room to grab a small dark glass bottle. Less than a minute after leaving, she returned. “Please tell me if you feel any discomfort. This tincture should reduce the sensitivity of the area.” “Should?” Levi asked, suspicious of her choice of words. “Well… I made it. The efficacy of this recipe is well-documented, but you’re the first to… experience this batch.”

Levi smiled at Elysia’s sheepish explanation. “It can’t be worse than the shit Hanji’s made me try,” he laughed. He braced himself for anything as she lowered the dropper towards the gash and dispensed a small amount of viscous liquid. Surprisingly, the contact barely stung and rapidly warmed into numbness. He hadn’t noticed how much the injury was aching until the pain was smothered by her treatment. “Mmm, it feels… good, actually.”

Elysia breathed deeply with relief and smoothly wrapped the wound with fresh gauze, securing it carefully to endure a normal night’s sleep. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to treat all of your injuries from now on. There’s only so much I can learn from my books and the Regiment needs you intact.” It felt unnatural to accept help when it wasn’t strictly necessary, but he couldn’t articulate any compelling reason to refuse. “My body is yours to treat as you see fit,” he decided after brief consideration. 

She smirked at his response and repositioned herself to be seated on the bed behind him. With steady confidence, she placed her petite hands on his strong shoulders and began pressing firmly. He stiffed instinctively, increasing his already shockingly high baseline tension. The resting state of his musculature was impenetrably tense and obviously unsustainable. She was expecting tightness, but the reality was far more concerning than she imagined. 

Undeterred by the effort ahead, she kneaded along his upper back with as much force as she could sustain. The repeated pressure eventually coerced his muscles incrementally into relaxation. Her patience and determination were slowly weakening his defenses and freeing him to fully unwind. As the initial sharpness of the massage simmered into pleasure, Levi closed his eyes and savored the unfamiliar sensations. He couldn’t recall a time his upper body had felt this light. 

But more generally, he didn’t think that anyone had ever touched him in this way. Elysia’s miraculous massage wasn’t strictly sexual, medical, violent, or platonic. There was a new intent behind her steadfast fingertips that he didn’t have a word for, but knew he needed more than anything. He decided not to mention the feeling to her. In the past, discussing emotions with others had gone poorly more often than not. After-effects from his disturbing childhood invariably crept into conversation and repulsed listeners. It was easier to simply avoid speaking about his feelings than risk further alienation.

Levi’s life had in many ways been undiluted hell, but Elysia’s persistent care briefly made the horrors he’d seen feel like someone else’s nightmare. “Much better,” she announced when he was finally relaxed to her satisfaction. “Mmm,” he hummed with drowsy tranquility. His eyes felt uncharacteristically heavy and he laid down where she’d been napping earlier. “Sweet dreams,” she whispered before retiring to her room. It was rare for Levi to sleep deeply and she didn’t want her presence to distract him and squander the opportunity. He thought to himself that he wanted her to stay, but before he could conjure speech, she was gone and sleep filled the void in her wake.


	15. Chapter 15

The weekend arrived after several more draining days, filled to the brim with work, studies, erotic encounters, and blissful mornings after nights together. With the upcoming expedition set for Monday, Elysia had decided to stay for the weekend to assist however she could. She spent all of Saturday knee-deep in preparations, which was a welcome distraction from the anxiety haunting her free thoughts. In the morning she worked with a few particularly well-behaved Cadets to clean a heap of uniforms and gear. Amidst the soapy effort, she did her best to lighten the mood, sensing the fear thickly saturating the air. A sullen boy smiled sweetly, but somehow it made him look even more tragic. Humor could only do so much to divert attention from the horrors on the horizon. 

Once all of the uniforms were hung out to dry, some undoubtedly for the last time, she paid a visit to the stables. The horses were more spirited company, oblivious to what lied ahead. Elysia was there to inspect them for any injuries or vulnerabilities that could endanger their riders. She found it equally heartwarming and amusing to have such physically strong, but emotionally childlike creatures as patients. All but one of the horses was cleared for the mission and non-disqualifying abnormalities were noted down for future inspection. When the checkups were complete, she decided to eat the lunch she had packed with her new companions. They regarded her respectfully, as if aware that she was their doctor of sorts. Or perhaps they instinctively trusted the exceptional kindness of her energy, which must have contrasted with the sharpness and intensity of the Scouts’. “I wish for all of you to return safely. But if not, I pray you don’t suffer and that you can understand, somehow, that your sacrifice will not be forgotten.” She finished her food, except for a few scraps gifted to the nearest horse. With a small, respectful bow, she left the stables for her next station: the infirmary.

One of the nurses recognized her from her assistance treating Levi after the abnormal incident. She and several others exchanged introductions and Elysia finally explained her qualifications. With the formalities settled, she got straight to work cleaning and arranging tools for emergency surgery in anticipation of the lucky Scouts who’d brush with death and make it back. After that, she ground medicinal herbs and poured solvents to make treatments they might otherwise run out of. Her thoughts drifted to the emotional trauma that the Survey Corps endured. Aside from temporary sedation, she knew of nothing to ease their invisible pain. She was infuriated by this shortcoming of medicine, but as long as she could help them survive then perhaps there was hope for future treatments of their emotional damages. At some point, while mixing medicines, she noticed that night had fallen on their headquarters. She finished up her work and ate dinner before going straight to bed to preserve energy for the final day before the squads’ departure. A blank, dreamless sleep carried her to Sunday unceremoniously.

It turned out that there was little left to accomplish after the communal effort on Saturday besides staying occupied enough to ward off creeping dread. Elysia decided to visit Levi’s office after breakfast to check on him. She knocked lightly, in a pattern that he immediately recognized as hers. He looked relieved to see her, but still troubled, as she expected.

“Tell me what’s on your mind,” she invited warmly, taking a seat on the edge of his desk as he returned to his chair. 

“Titans, ODM, death,” he replied truthfully and emotionlessly. Elysia searched his eyes for more insight, but his defenses were evidently at their height, completely blocking anything from entering or escaping his mind. When he was this guarded, looking into his eyes for too long felt like it could induce amnesia. He had a way of casting doubt with a glance. She breathed deliberately and pressed on, 

“Levi… if you have something to say, this may be the last…” she trailed off. Cold stillness in the air held the place of the grim, unspoken end of her sentence. His brow furrowed with apparent conflict and he remained occupied in his thoughts for some time, while she waited patiently.

Suddenly, he stood from his chair and wrapped his hands around her shoulders tenderly and intently. “If I don’t come back… I need you to leave here. Find someone deep within the walls, forget about me, and stay alive.” His expression remained blank, but his voice betrayed undercurrents of urgency. 

“Absolutely not,” Elysia replied without hesitation, before his words could completely settle into the atmosphere. His concentration broke under her uncompromising tone and he took a moment to reinforce his defenses. 

“It wasn’t a question, Elysia. I’ve already instructed Erwin to ensure that you are brought home safely and forbidden from ever returning.” 

“Then I’ll become a Scout,” she threatened in an unusually simmering tone. 

“You will not. Training alone would kill you. You can’t possibly…” his voice silenced at the horrifying image of her brilliant life being extinguished by the jaws of a titan. Anyone could see that she was unfit to be a soldier, but even if fighting was within her nature, the prospect was completely unbearable to Levi. 

“I’d rather die here than live without you in the walls.” Tears swelled at her lash line and a wrenching pain assailed her heart as she spoke.

“You have to live. I can’t force you to forget me, but please, you need to survive,” Levi insisted with unwavering conviction.

“No, _you_ have to live! What if I were the one going on the expedition tomorrow?” she pleaded.

His eyes widened as though ice water had been injected into his veins and he fell back into his chair gracefully. He imagined the scenario she described for no more than a few seconds before desperately forcing it out of his mind. It was too late, though, he already saw in complete clarity the efforts he would take to prevent her from going, to protect her. He stared into her soul with a tortured look of empathy, his whole being recoiling at the fleeting idea of her current reality.

The flash of pain in his gaze was quickly smothered and visions of his mission came back into focus. It’s not the same. It’d be suicidal for her to go, but I’ve always survived. My squad needs me. Humanity needs me. His mind raced with familiar rationalizations. Levi’s ruthless talent and unbreakable will had kept him alive many times over, but also led him to become an indispensable soldier. While most Scouts died in combat, some walked away to pursue other lives. But what would be left if humanity’s strongest turned away? One could imagine that Levi might be six feet tall if not for the immense weight on his shoulders. He felt stuck atop a bloody pedestal of his own creation, with death or a debilitating injury seeming to be the only way down.

“I’m sorry. I need time to gather my thoughts. Will you come see me tonight?” To Elysia, he appeared to be withholding the words he wanted to say with more strength than most people even possessed, but his voice remained steady. 

“Of course,” she replied with damp eyes and a laugh of slight disbelief that he even needed to ask, “I’d never let you leave so easily.” His face softened at the entrancing sound of her laughter. He wished he could divulge his emotions with abandon, but he really did need more time to consider how they could affect her in each possible outcome. 

She stood and wrapped him into a softly secure embrace, cradling his head against her chest. He held the backs of her thighs gently and listened contentedly to her heartbeat. Their breathing deepened, then slowed as they were steadily calmed by the other’s warm presence. Elysia aimlessly ran her fingers through his dark, orderly hair, alternately displacing it and rearranging it again. After some time, he squeezed her legs, disrupting her hypnotic state, and she released her arms from around him. “I’ll see you later,” she promised then left him to his thoughts and planning.

After the intensity of their encounter, Elysia decided to release her residual tension with some self-defense practice. Her sessions with Levi that week had been incredibly helpful, but there was still much she could improve on alone. It was satisfying to kick the training figures until she was out of breath and the tops of her feet stung from the repeated impact. But it did nothing to make her feel any less powerless. While she _knew_ she had no choice but to stay behind, she just couldn’t _accept_ it.

“Not bad,” a familiar voice remarked in response to a full-force kick. Elysia turned to meet Erwin, who looked slightly amused beneath visible exhaustion. He still appeared stately and commanding, but worn by prolonged, unrelenting stress. “Commander,” Elysia greeted, with a proper Scout salute, fist pressed to her heart. He smiled wearily and nodded her at ease.

“The other day, I-” 

“It’s alright, Elysia. I’ve got other things on my mind. Pretend I was never there,” he assured her. She let out a deep exhalation, which felt like it had been bottled up all week. 

“Thank you,” she replied, noticeably relieved.

“How are you feeling about tomorrow?” she asked, her mind also turning to the more pressing issue at hand. 

“We’re more prepared for this expedition than any prior. I have faith that everyone has trained their hardest. The risks are substantial, but we wouldn’t be going if we weren’t ready and positioned for success.”

“That’s… reassuring. But how are you actually feeling?” Erwin paused pensively in search of the answer to her question. 

“Truthfully, I’m not feeling anything. My head is full of thoughts and plans, but I won’t know how I’m feeling until several days after the expedition.”  
Elysia nodded thoughtfully. She couldn’t relate to what he was describing, but in many ways it seemed like the only reasonable answer. How else could he tolerate the pressure and loss of his position?

“If it’s not too tiresome to explain, what will the expedition entail?” she asked shyly. 

“Levi didn’t tell you? Well, it’s probably better that you don’t know the details. But, essentially, we’ve devised a route and new formation that will allow us to venture further out than we’ve ever gone. The goals are to reach new distances and leave some non-perishable supplies, like gas canisters, as far as we can take them. Then we can go even greater distances on subsequent expeditions, until our searches lead us to answers,” Erwin explained patiently.

“I see. Thank you for the information. I know I’m not of much use so I really appreciate how forthcoming you’ve been.”

“You may not be riding alongside us, but I wouldn’t underestimate your influence on Levi and, consequently, his influence on the Scouts. How hard he fights might very well be the difference between single-digit and triple-digit losses.”

“Do you really think so?” Elysia’s eyes widened at his analysis.

“I do, yes. Usually in the days before departure, he comes to me with questions and ideas about our strategies and contingencies. But yesterday, his chief concern was how you’d be cared for in the event of… well.”

Elysia stared at the ground between them, feeling suddenly guilty for her effect on the Captain. She didn’t know how to reply, instead letting Erwin elaborate to fill the silence.

“I’ve known Levi for years and have gained insight about him haltingly, but steadily. Something I just can’t foresee, though, is how he’ll fight out there with you waiting for him here. Obviously, he has much more to live for… but the change in his priorities could throw off the possibly precarious balance that makes him so effective. It’s a bit unnerving, this unknown factor. But there’s nothing to be done now, but hope and fight to end.”

She felt the hotness of tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Erwin was a moving speaker and it cut through to her core to hear her fears echoed by a rational observer.  
“Thank you for your honesty, Commander. I’ll be hoping with all my heart for your safe return. I should be going, I don’t want to keep you,” Elysia said hurriedly, with her gaze still facing firmly downward.

“Elysia… I will do my best to keep him alive,” Erwin promised. The two parted ways, each feeling both a bit lighter and heavier than before. 

She held back her tears for the entire walk to her quarters, but as soon as she was alone, they flowed silently and she made no attempt to wipe them away.  
For the next few hours, she laid in bed, sometimes crying, sometimes staring blankly at the ceiling. She had no idea how much time had actually passed, only how much darker her room had become. During one of the stretches of staring blankly, a gentle knock came through the wall that her room shared with Levi's, followed by his voice.

“Elysia… can you come over? I need you…”


End file.
